England’s newest batting sensation helps local fan group Barmy Army rediscover voice against ‘rivals’ Bharat ArmyBIRMINGHAM: Four days before the series started, Rob Key, the managing director of the England men’s cricket team, told TOI that he was looking forward to seeing how England’s wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith would respond to India counterpart Rishabh Pant’s performances. He called it “the battle of two entertaining counter-attacking wicketkeepers”, and definitely the match-up to watch out for.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!On Friday, one had to be at the Eric Hollies stand, a section of the Edgbaston famous for seating the loudest England fan community — the famed Barmy Army — to understand why Smith is the fastest-rising new cricketing sensation here. Eric Hollies is primarily remembered for spoiling Don Bradman’s farewell party, dismissing him for a duck in his last innings to leave the Don stranded just short of a 100-run average in Test cricket. The stand named after him celebrated wildly on Friday as Smith’s onslaught spoiled India’s party.
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The counterpoint to the Barmy Army here is, of course, the Bharat Army, the Indian cricket fan group, which was just starting to clear its throat to sing some anthems.However, Rakesh Patel, the founding member of the Bharat Army, could only look on helplessly as the Eric Hollies stand heaved and Smith went about shredding the Indian attack. Half an hour before lunch, the conversations among both sets of fans started to flow in weird directions.
The blows from Smith’s bat seemed to be breaking the spirits of the Bharat Army fans, so much so that some muttered that they would be happy to take a draw from this Test. The Headingley horror was still fresh in their minds. England were still 300 runs adrift of India’s 587 when a shift in the mood of the England fans became palpable.As Smith swept Ravindra Jadeja through mid-wicket for his century, one of the most entertaining and crucial centuries in England’s recent history, the Barmy Army broke into rapturous celebrations. Their usual chants reached near-deafening decibel levels in the Eric Hollies Stand.They don’t have a song for Smith yet, as they do for the more established players like Joe Root, Ben Stokes or even Harry Brook. But Smith had offered them enough to improvise. They turned towards the Bharat Army section and started singing, “You are not singing now!”
As lunch was called and one took leave, Patel assured, “It gets nasty by day-end. But both sets of fans have set values. No one crosses the line. There could be one or two who may get swayed emotionally but they are pulled back by the rest of the pack.”If it was Smith in the morning session, the Barmy Army sang, “Harry, Harry Brooook. Harry, Harry Broooook” after the stellar sixth-wicket, 303-run partnership came to an end.
