Australia might be sweeping the board on the field, but it appears that they are losing their ability to weather the barracking which is as much a part of the Australian game as innings victories and sledging. On the second day of the Melbourne Test almost every Brett Lee delivery was accompanied by a raucous chant of "no-ball" from the sizeable contingent of the Barmy Army. But whereas this would normally not even be commented on by the hardened Australians, it seems to have struck a raw nerve.

Justin Langer was the first to go on the attack. "I thought they [Barmy Army] were a disgrace. It worked in our favour. These people standing behind the fence and drinking beer, most of them are 50 kilos overweight and making ridiculous comments. As far as I'm concerned it's easy for someone to say that from behind a fence. They pay their money, but there's still got to be some integrity in life."

Lee's career has been blighted by suggestions that his action is suspect when he sends down his faster ball, even though he has been cleared by the International Cricket Council. The debate resurfaced when queries were again raised during Australia's one-day win over Sri Lanka last Sunday.

But Paul Burnham, the co-ordinator of the Barmy Army, admitted that he was stunned because Langer had alweays been viewed as one of the most respected players in world cricket. "We've always thought he was a good fella," Burnham said. "It was just for a laugh and we're amazed he made those remarks. To call guys fat - it's just playground stuff, isn't it? None of us are offended or upset by it, everyone just thinks he's a fool now. The guys are laughing at him.

"I know he's a martial arts guy. What happened to 'sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me'? To get upset by a few words, he must be a white belt."

Langer gained support from an unlikely source – Merv Hughes, a man who was always keen to try and gain a psychological edge with some choice words. "Obviously the Barmy Army don't know too much about cricket," he said. "I think they've gone a little too far."

David Lloyd, Hughes's fellow Sky commentator, disagreed. "How come there's nothing said whenever Murali bowls out here and the crowd get on his back, or when they make comments about Caddick's ears? We should just get on with the game."

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