At 2pm the Harris Garden was empty, and the Nursery deserted. Apart from the idle bar and catering staff, the cleaners sweeping up the tumbling plastic cups, the outer grounds were uninhabited. Everyone was inside, in utter tumult. In the Edrich Stand they were chanting: "Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Cheat! Cheat! Cheat!" and over in the Compton it was: "Same old Aussies! Always cheating!"
They have been playing Test cricket here since 1884, the atmosphere at the ground has been loud enough before now, excitable, tense and on edge, too, but it's never felt, or sounded, quite like it did yesterday lunchtime.
In the back row of the Compton there was a man with an empty bottle at one foot, and a full glass at the other, laying into Cameron Green, who was fielding in front of him. "Wanker! Wanker! Wanker!" he cried, and: "Aussie scum! Aussie scum!" No one complained, and no stewards came. The people around him either stared forward and ignored him, joined in, or fell about laughing.
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