David Leggat: Crowd abuse plumbs depths of nastiness

David Warner copped plenty of abuse from the Eden Park crowd. Photo / Nick Reed

It would have been water off David Warner's broad back. Personal abuse seems to accompany the stocky Sydneysider as he travels the cricket globe.

So yesterday's salvos directed his way from a particularly boisterous section of the Eden Park crowd are unlikely to have rattled the Australian opener.

He's doubtless heard worse ... and cleverer.

That doesn't make some of the chants and crudely pointed fingers acceptable.

It's all very well chucking off at the more excessive elements of Australian crowds, but only when your own nose is clean.

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At which point F-word chants became acceptable isn't clear. Among the more tedious verbals at cricket grounds involve the W word - you all know the one. But there was a gratuitous nastiness about one particular section yesterday, notably when Warner came to field in front of them and when he walked out to bat.

But Warner wasn't the only Australian to feel the verbal heat.

The group of about 30 fans should have been placed in the X-rated section. Getting all po-faced over lighthearted banter isn't on, just as having to put up with the moronish elements isn't either.

There they were, on their feet, encouraging THAT chant over and over.

Or the popular variation "you f***ed up" set on repeat, at a fielding error, or dismissal.

Perhaps the worst part of it all is that it's simply boring.

Watch: Bryan Waddle and Jeremy Coney review the opening ODI

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