Barmy Army boss issues warning to Aussies about predicted wild Headingley crowd for third Test

Barmy Army spokesman George Gallantree has ominously declared Australia should expect an explosive atmosphere from ball one of the third Ashes Test at Headingley.

Tension between Pat Cummins’ men and England is at an all-time high following Jonny Bairstow’s controversial stumping dismissal at Lord’s on day five of the second Test – and the locals will go out of their way to intimidate the tourists in Leeds on Thursday.

‘It’s going to be louder than a Taylor Swift concert on the Western Terraces in the afternoon after the fans have had a few Tetley Bitters,’ Gallantree told News Corp.

‘Lord’s is more of a library compared to Headingley.’

The Barmy Army supporters will be out in force as Australia look to win the Ashes on English soil for the first time since 2001.

Barmy Army representative George Gallantree has declared Australia should expect an explosive atmosphere from ball one of the third Ashes Test at Headingley (pictured, English fans at the first 2023 Ashes Test)

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey will be public enemy number one following his stumping dismissal of Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s

A draw will be enough to silence the fired-up locals, and Cummins will no doubt tell his players to block out the noise and be ruthless.

The warning from the Barmy Army comes after the verbal abuse directed at the Australian team at Lord’s during the second Ashes Test was so intense that Steve Smith’s mother left the ground.

Gillian Smith – who was at the home of cricket with husband Peter – left her seat after being taunted by fans, according to The Australian.

The spectators did not know her connection to the former Test skipper and targeted her due to her nationality, the publication reported – adding that the 11-year-old son of an Australia team staff member cried after also being subjected to abuse.

Australian players later huddled around the youngster on the balcony at Lord’s as a show of support.

As a result of the vitriol, the team has asked for beefed-up security when the sides meet at Headingley.

England star Joe Root has called on fans to wind back their treatment of the tourists, saying, ‘You come to support your nation. It doesn’t need to go beyond that. It should never go beyond that.’

Steve Smith’s mother Gillian was targeted by fans at Lord’s who didn’t know her connection to the superstar batter, but picked up on her nationality

Smith (in foreground, with teammate Marnus Labuschagne) was on the end of verbal abuse from Lord’s members in the ground’s famous Long Room

David Warner (in green cap,next to steward in blue jacket) and Usman Khawaja (right, in doorway) reacted to abuse from one spectator at Lord’s in heated scenes 

The abuse directed at Australian stars like Usman Khawaja – who at one point asked security to deal with one of the members in the pavilion – stemmed from fans’ anger over the controversial dismissal of Bairstow.

Australia then demanded a please explain from the Marylebone Cricket Club after players were abused – and two were allegedly tripped by some members inside the Lord’s Pavilion.

Footage from inside the Long Room as players left the field at lunch on the final day’s play showed Australian stars being yelled at by several members and labelled ‘cheats’.

Reports said the abuse included several expletives and calling players a ‘disgrace’, ‘liars’ and telling them to go home.

That prompted both Khawaja and David Warner to stop and approach one man, before two stewards stepped in and ushered Warner away.

Play in the third Test from Headingley begins at 8pm AEST on Thursday.