List of nicknames used in cricket

krquet

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Dec 30, 2010, 2:18:18 AM12/30/10

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I was surprised to have come across a list on Wikipedia on this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nicknames_used_in_cricket

Though not comprehensive, the list is long. Anyway, I'm curious about
the team names, or the lacking of a few (guess):

Teams

* Australian national cricket team — Baggy Greens,

* 1948 tour of England — The Invincibles

* Bangladeshi national cricket team — The Tigers
* Indian National Cricket Team — Men in Blue
* New Zealand national cricket team — The Black Caps, The Kiwis
* South African national cricket team — The Proteas, The
Springboks
* Sri Lankan national cricket team — The Lions
* West Indian national cricket team — The Windies

So, no affectionate names (no name callings please) for England,
Pakistan and Zimbabwe? Also, I didn't know or forgot about the Men in
Blue (is that a good representation?).

aA...
Here's looking @ you Medusa..

John Hall

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Dec 30, 2010, 5:58:47 AM12/30/10

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In article
<04084291-4010-4648...@l24g2000vby.googlegroups.com>,

krquet <krq...@gmail.com> writes:
>I was surprised to have come across a list on Wikipedia on this:
>
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nicknames_used_in_cricket
>
>Though not comprehensive, the list is long. Anyway, I'm curious about
>the team names, or the lacking of a few (guess):
>
>Teams
>
> * Australian national cricket team — Baggy Greens,

Because they wear baggy green caps.

>
> * 1948 tour of England — The Invincibles

Because they went through the whole tour unbeaten, something that had
never been done before. (And in those days a tour of England involved in
the region of 30 matches, including those against the counties etc.)

<snip>

>
>So, no affectionate names (no name callings please) for England,

I suppose that Australians would call them the Poms, though that is
their nickname for all the English not just the cricket team.

<snip>
--
John Hall
"I look upon it, that he who does not mind his belly,
will hardly mind anything else."
Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-84)

krquet

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Dec 30, 2010, 7:02:09 AM12/30/10

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Thank you, John. I was mostly curious about the probable nicknames for
the following 4 teams:
England, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and to some degree India.
I understood Pommie, Paki etc. may not be considered affectionate
terms by the corresponding teams, certainly no official badge of
honour. Also, I seem to recall Zimbabwe had a nickname other than
ZeeCeeTee whatever that is. Finally, surely, The Men In Blue seems
like an Indian ODI squad.

Here's a bit more from a quick research:

http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/names/cricketplayers.htm

Teams
Australia's 1948 tour of England — The Invincibles

Australian national cricket team — Baggy Greens

Bangladeshi national cricket team — The Tigers

Canadian national cricket team — One Man Band

New Zealand national cricket team — The Black Caps, The Kiwis

South African national cricket team — The Proteas

West Indian national cricket team — The Windies, The Calypsos
Indian national cricket team — The Men in Blue
Pakistani national cricket team— The Stars

But no one seems to have an answer for the English team. Matter of
fact, here's someone else had apparently the same question to put
forth at Answers.com

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_nickname_of_the_english_cricket_team

spoiler: Pom.

How about Old Blighty? Or the Three Lions?

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_some_nicknames_for_England

I give up.

aA...
hl@yM..

M

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Dec 30, 2010, 10:15:13 AM12/30/10

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Following the usual format of cricketing nicknames, then the "men in navy
blue" is no worse than anything else. What about Sri Lanka ~ they seem
to be similarly without a nickname?

(Looking at Ponting's attire lately, seems more apt to be the "saggy
green"... Last time I saw Matt Hayden's cap, it looked mouldy and barely
even green! Guess they are pretty proud to keep their original caps.)

Anyway, nicknames shouldn't be contrived just for the sake alone, as
otherwise runs the risk of being just bland and corny. Most soccer clubs
and rugby league clubs that give themselves nicknames end up this way.
Best left in America where this type of stuff belongs.

R Bharat Rao

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Dec 30, 2010, 11:23:55 AM12/30/10

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On Dec 30, 10:15 am, M <somewh...@yonder.com> wrote:

> Anyway, nicknames shouldn't be contrived just for the sake alone, as
> otherwise runs the risk of being just bland and corny. Most soccer clubs
> and rugby league clubs that give themselves nicknames end up this way.
> Best left in America where this type of stuff belongs.

I dunno. American sport is replete with *wonderful* nicknames for its
athletes. Some of the greats don't get nicknames (Iike Jordan,
Montana or Lewis), but wonderful nicknames like Dr. J (Julius Erving),
Magic (Ervin Johnson), The Splendid Splinter (Ted Williams), Sweetness
(Walter Payton) and The Babe (George Herman Ruth) have enriched the
American sports experience in my opinion. Of late, we don't seem to
have any more such great nicknames (the "Big Hurt" for Thomas is the
last one I recall) -- in cricket, other than "The Don" we don't really
have any nicknames, and given that it was a shortening of Bradman's
first name, that barely qualifies.

Bharat

krquet

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Dec 30, 2010, 11:41:04 AM12/30/10

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The Rawalpindi Express
Da Wall
Zulu
Basher
Ashtrayful
Any members of The Black Crapz <TM>
Punters
Bangers
Tiger Pataudi
King Khan
Aloo
Boom Boom
Mushi Mushi
Saki (God knows, that annoying incessant call from Moin is still stuck
in my head)

aA...
hl@yM.

M

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Dec 30, 2010, 11:48:01 AM12/30/10

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I recall reading up on a Saffers series sometime ago, and I was wondering
who the "Shark" was? The penny finally dropped.... Now I can't imagine
him as anything else!

Andrew B.

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Dec 30, 2010, 11:53:07 AM12/30/10

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You only have to go to the Wiki page cited in the first post in this
thread (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
List_of_nicknames_used_in_cricket) to know that that's not true.