After Sandpapergate and Scuffgate, Australia cricket has found itself in the middle of a bizarre Sandwichgate (or Toastgate?) incident, following details of head coach Justin Langer’s rather stringent rules around eating habits.
On Saturday, a report in Sydney Morning Herald indicated that several players of the Australia team have been “frustrated” by Langer’s management style and are feeling bogged down by the 50-year-old’s “intensity and mood swings”, amid talks of micromanagement and a “headmaster-like” approach.
However, a particular segment of the report has cracked up Twitter users, detailing Langer’s disapproval of an unnamed player carrying a toasted sandwich in his pocket to eat on the field during the Brisbane Test of the recent Australia-India series.
While the players are reportedly unhappy by the constant monitoring, Justin Langer seems convinced by his approach, stating that coaching is “not a popularity contest”, also speaking out about the particular ‘toast’ incident.
“You’re walking on against India, we’re trying to win a Test match and one of our players walks on with a toasted sandwich in his hand,” Langer said. “I spoke to [the player] about it at length yesterday. I said, ‘How do you reckon it looks, mate?’ Is that not something I should say?“
Marnus Labuschagne turned out to be a rather popular suspect.
set and match https://t.co/0ZkM2sGlRt
— Jonathan Liew (@jonathanliew) January 29, 2021
Others were quick to pull out a video of Nic Maddinson munching on a sandwich in the field during a domestic game in 2014. Could that explain the highly rated Australian’s absence from the national side?
“During the Brisbane Test Langer ordered a player not to persist with a habit of jamming a toasted sandwich in his pocket to eat on the field.”
I don’t think Nic Maddinson will be playing Test cricket again any time soon… https://t.co/L7A5m6ente pic.twitter.com/aV7bNmEw6H
— Darren Murphy 🏏 (@MrDMurphy) January 29, 2021
Others pointed to Langer’s own history of strange actions on a cricket field.
It’s not the player’s fault. He’s been doing it absentmindedly ever since he was a kid. https://t.co/1x3RFb2fnn
— Osman Samiuddin (@OsmanSamiuddin) January 29, 2021
Some wondered whether toasties might have uses beyond their calorific value.
Greasy melted cheese residue to get the ball swinging? That’s new 🏏 https://t.co/HMvDGeIcIU
— Dr Darren Saunders (@whereisdaz) January 30, 2021
Others made more lighthearted reference to the sandpaper incident.
Aussies trying to get as many items starting with the word sand in their pockets.
David Warner has already packed 2 pairs of sandals in his suitcase for the South African tour— Ross Gregory (@rossgregory9) January 29, 2021
There were, of course, puns a plenty.
Umpire Ross Emmental
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) January 29, 2021
Stilton Cartwright
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) January 29, 2021
Lyon Cheese
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) January 29, 2021
Pret a Langer
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) January 29, 2021
Emmental disintegration. https://t.co/RBw9AaRhB4
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) January 29, 2021
The more photoshop savvy got their styluses out, with contrasting results.
https://t.co/QW9lDuYJoj pic.twitter.com/RcuJpSXUMR
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) January 29, 2021
quite a relief to see there is some form of cricket media you are bad at.
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) January 29, 2021
Some, however, were tired of the jokes before they had even started.
Very jealous of whoever manages to make the one (and there will be only one) good sandpaper/sandwich joke.
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) January 29, 2021
Most were equal parts baffled and delighted by the weirdness of the story.
Some players have been irked by Justin Langer's request to a player that they….
*checks notes*
not jam a toasted sandwich in their pocket to eat on the field https://t.co/LhL8mMsIln
— Sam Wilkinson (@_sam_wilkinson) January 29, 2021
https://twitter.com/commsgale/status/1355296219086651397
https://twitter.com/charmada/status/1355275613368684544
