Ponting, McGrath, Lillee: Australia’s greatest cricket sledges

Ricky Ponting may have stepped aside as the Australian captain, but one thing will never change: Australia's incredible talent for verbally abusing the opposition. Here is talkSPORT's selection of the funniest Australian cricket sledges ...

RICKY PONTING
After putting the ball past Ricky Ponting's attempts without any contact on a couple of deliveries, South African bowler Shaun Pollock sarcastically pointed out to Ponting: "Its red round and weighs about five ounces."

Ponting hit the next ball out of the ground and said: "You know what it looks like, now go find it."

MERV HUGHES
After four straight boundaries from West Indian batsman Viv Richards it's fair to say master of sledges Merv Hughes was apoplectic with rage.

Hughes walked halfway down the pitch towards the ice-cool Richards and, just when an ugly confrontation seemed inevitable, let out a monumental fart and said "Let's see you hit that to the boundary."

DENNIS LILLEE
Fast bowler Dennis Lillee had a few favourite sledges that he'd roll out at the appropriate moment.

In one of the funniest Lillee would tell the batsman: "I know why you're batting so badly. You've got some s**t at the end of your bat."

The unsuspecting batsman would lift up the bat to find the bottom was completely clean,  and before he could argue Lillee would say: "Wrong end mate."

MERV HUGHES
Javed Miandad called Australian fast bowler Merv Hughes 'a fat bus conducter' during a heated exchange between the pair.

Hughes had Miandad caught out soon after and ran past the Pakistani yelling, "Tickets please!"

MERV HUGHES
England opening batsman and captain Graham Gooch was having trouble at the crease and hadn't made any contact with the ball after several deliveries from Australia's Merv Hughes.

Clearly rattled by coming so close to dismissing Gooch, Hughes growled at the Englishman, "I'll get you a piano instead - see if you can play that."

AND WHEN THE REST OF THE WORLD GOT THEIR REVENGE ON THE AUSSIES

GLENN MCGRATH
Angry Australian Glenn McGrath couldn't get Eddo Brandes out, so he asked him: "Why are you so fat?'

The portly Zimbabwean's retort? "Because every time I f**k your wife she gives me a biscuit."

SHANE WARNE
Chubby Shane Warne welcomed South African  Daryll Cullinhan to the crease with this gambit: "I've been waiting two years for another chance to humiliate you."

Cullinan replied: "Looks like you've spent it eating."

IAN HEALY
Ian Healy confronted Mike Atherton in Sydney when the Englishman stood his ground after apparently edging and being caught behind: "You're a f***ing cheat!"

Atherton quietly responded: "When in Rome dear boy..."

ROD MARSH
Rod Marsh greeted Ian Botham's arrival at the crease: "So how's your wife and my kids?"

Botham instantly replied: "The wife's fine, but the kids are retarded."

MARK WAUGH
Mark Waugh, brother of Australia captain Steve, was making fun of England's James Ormond: "What the f**k are you doing out here? Surely you're not good enough to play for England?"

"Maybe not," replied Ormond, "But at least I'm the best player in my family."

And just for the memory, here's a video of Ponting courageously dealing with a vicious bouncer to the head from Steve Harmison in the 2005 Ashes...