The Aussies have left, the Aussies have left! And before they left they had themselves in a spin.
With our Australian friends having hopped Down Under, Jaal now presents a reworked guide for all Indian cricket fans to Aussie slang - also known as Strine.
This updated version follows the original version of Kangaroo vocabulary already featured in these columns.
Verbal abuse: Traditionally known as sledging in Australian cricket circles (They invented the grand tradition). Captain Steve Waugh has now coined a new definition: "mental disintegration." As per the new definition, "mental disintegration" translates into the status of any Australian batsman facing Harbhajan Singh on a turning track, especially Ricky "Quack" Ponting and Adam Gilchrist.
Aggression: A natural emotion when an Aussie bowler gets a wicket and abuses the departing batsman. Even otherwise when Glen McGrath tries to teach Sachin Tendulkar stroke-making while mistaking his legs for a bat thereby losing the Kolkata Test for his country. Also applies to Michael Slater for theatrics over claiming a grassed catch that would've given another Aussie, Russell Crowe, a run at the Oscars.
Aggression: A fineable offence when committed by an Indian bowler who shakes his fist in celebration of a wicket. Or the disgust and tut-tutting by Aussies when the Indian captain thinks its payback time.
Bastard: Also term of endearment. As in, "How the hell did those bastards lose after making India follow on?
Pommie: Strine for Englishman. (Note: this is NOT a term of endearment). Will come into usage when the Aussies embark on their Ashes tour to England facing the unusual prospect of another formidable Indian foe in the form of Nasser Hussain.
Basin: Pronounced as "bison" - a place you wash your face in. Especially useful for Aussie batsmen to wash their mouths out after discussing each umpiring decision.
Umpire: Someone who gives visiting batsmen out lbw when the ball strikes various parts of their anatomy. And calls visiting bowlers - but never one's own - for chucking. Particularly irritating examples go by the name of Hair and Emerson. Also figures as a term of disparagement for the officials on overseas tours.
Fall of wickets: In Australia, it's wickets first, then runs (i.e. 1/201, not 201/1). Either way, they've lost.
Weather Report: Fairly innocuous unless made by Shane Warne and Mark Waugh. However, unlike the Indians, Pakistanis, South Africans and the English, considered an endeavour natural enough not to be taken note of by the ACB or to be ignored till the news leaked.
Night cricket: An Aussie invention. Hence the famous phrase: "Big boys play at night." (Other famous Aussie inventions: coloured clothing, white balls, stump mikes, artificial pitches, indoor international cricket, streakers, meat pies, Jason Gillespie's eagle impressions and Ricky Ponting's impression of roadkill).
Kangaroo: Traditional symbol of Australia. But don't tell the Aussies. They hate the critter. However, relevant to Indian conditions as the team rediscovered its hopping technique.
Aussie Rules: A form of rugby, though at first sight the rules part appears to be conspicuous by its absence. Also applies to cricket as in "the rules apply to you, not to us'.
Toss: What Steve Waugh grumbles over Saurav Ganguly being late for.
Rotation: The strategy of omitting in-form players like Matthew Hayden so that the rest can go around in circles.
Warne: Leg-spinner known for his telephone conversations, candid comments caught on stump mikes and recurrent nightmares.
Four-Day Tests: The new proposal propounded by the ACB since its Test record winning streak ended with two losses that occurred, curiously enough, on the fifth days.
Ganguly: Hate object. Also applicable to Sour Grapes, pronounced Sour Gripes.

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