As England wicket-keeper batter Jonny Bairstow smashed Australia spinner Nathan Lyon for a couple of fours just a few overs into the afternoon session, the vibrant crowd at the Eric Hollies Stand jeered the champion off-spinner by chanting “You’re just a s**t Moeen Ali!”. If there’s one place for people who deem Test cricket to be boring, this is where they should land at to have a possible change of opinion.
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This one stand at a particular section of the Birmingham Cricket Ground is renowned for having the best atmosphere one would ever experience in a cricket match, regardless the format. Be it the former cricketers or the media personnel who’ve had the ground zero experience of watching matches from this very stand, everyone has only described their feeling using the best possible choice of adjectives.
No points for guessing, it is the home side which is cheered all the way. This often means that their opponents are ridiculed for each on-field error, the batters are booed all the way through to the dressing room. However, none of the remarks are personal or considered below-the-belt, and the focus is soon on the next set of players.
What Is Special About Eric Hollies Stand at Edgbaston?
The Eric Hollies Stand is considered to be the most noisiest and rowdiest cricket stand in the world. However, despite all the clamour, people shouting on top of their voices, passing the nastiest of comments on the hard-working players, people want to be part of this disorderly lot of spectators.
The atmosphere does seem hostile for the fans supporting the visiting team. However, it is all fun and banter and nothing worth taking an offence at, as the ever-welcoming cricket lovers gather at a commonplace.
“The Hollies Stand is known to be one of the rowdiest stands in the world, and what attracted me to it was that when the English give us shit, they do it in a melodious way, they have great voices, and I wanted to be part of that,” remarked an Australian fan during an interaction with The Guardian a few years ago.
A Perfect Party Atmosphere
The unusual costumes, flags, masks, music, creative banners, beers, food, and the enthusiastic cricket fans, the Hollies Stand is also regarded as a perfect party stand for the spectators regardless whether the home team is performing to their potential best or not.
Having said that, the English team is always assured that whenever they are to play a match at Edgbaston, this one section of the crowd at the venue is the perfect and ideal 12th man they could ever have in terms of support.
