To those not close to cricket and its idiosyncrasies on the field, ‘sledging’ would conjure up the picture of a sheath of snow and kids speeding down a hill lying flat on their stomachs on a wooden contraption with steel skis under it, called a ‘sled’. And nowhere was it made more poignant than in the iconic movie Citizen Kane.

But when it comes to sport and yes, even politics, sledging brings up a mix of smiling, frowning, even angry faces depending on who is the victim and what the situation is at the time.

There are various theories about the origin of the word when it comes to cricket, but almost all point to it originating in Australia in the 1960s. Not for nothing were the men from Down Under labelled as the ‘Ugly Australians’. One claims that it’s because the quip or rejoinder is like a sledgehammer to the receiver; others remember that a cricketer named Sledge was once made fun of about his wife and a teammate of his when he came in to bat and the phrase sledging would come up every time someone would utter a direct or indirect remark at the batsman.

So why sledge? The answer is simple. Unsettle the concentration or even make the other guy angry or emotional enough to commit a mistake; as Steve Waugh defined it, mental disintegration. On some occasions teams will write the script off the field if they want to target a particular player; sometimes exchanges happen impromptu.

It can get dramatic and can be talked about for years. Like when Gibbs let the ball slip out of his hand as he tried to throw it up to celebrate in a 1999 World Cup match Australia had to win to stay in the tournament. Given not out which upset the Proteas, Steve Waugh is said to have told the fielder: “You’ve just dropped the World Cup.” In the context of the South African being notorious for being chokers it echoed in the minds of all South African players, especially when the teams met again in the semi-finals, a game the Australians are said to have won more through the mind than on the pitch.

But most psychological warfare is thrown at a batsman making his debut or on the verge of being dropped. In that case it is normal to expect fielders around him saying aloud to each other (but meant for his ears) stuff like: “This could be the last match for him” or “I hear they’re about to bring that other guy in his place.”

However, once a batsman in that position actually won points in such swap. An English cricketer, not very talented, came out to bat and Mark Waugh standing at slip asked him what he was doing here as he wasn’t good enough for Test cricket. The man turned to him and said: “Maybe. But at least I’m the best player in my family.”

It can also take the form of friendly banter like when a fast bowler managed to beat Viv Richards outside the off stump a few times. “It’s red, round and weighs five ounces,” he mocked the great batsman. Next ball and Richards smacked it out of the ground. Turning to the bowler he said: “You know what it looks like; now go fetch it.”

In another instance the burly Merv Hughes, possibly the very antithesis of a fast bowler, considering his frame and waistline, was being heckled by Javed Miandad, one of the few who could be expected to sledge even while batting. “You’re too fat. You should be a bus conductor,” he kept needling Hughes, making him bowl short at him in anger which Javed would pull for four. Eventually Hughes produced one that shook up Miandad for him to be caught. As Javed walked past him Hughes turned and said: “Tickets please.”

On another occasion a batsman who had put on some weight and coincidentally was having a poor run of form, was picked on by a close in fielder as he took guard. “Hey, you’re spending so much time in the pavilion you’ve put on flab.” The batsman turned to him and said: “That’s not it. Every time I [go out with] your wife she gives me a biscuit.”

On the subject of weight there is the famous exchange between South Africa’s Daryll Cullinan and Shane Warne in the opening innings of a series. In a previous one Cullinan just couldn’t read Warne and kept getting out to him so it was natural for the Australian (then being criticised for putting on weight) to say to him: “I’ve been waiting two years for you.” Cullinan looked at him and said: “Looks like you spent it eating.”

It can be used cleverly, too, without anything personal involved. In the 1979 series in Australia, the Aussie fast bowler Brad Hogg was once getting difficult to get out with spinners on. So Miandad at silly point kept telling him to watch out for those tiny pebbles on the good length. Eventually Hogg stretched to tap the ball down and then continued down the pitch to brush them away with his bat. That’s what Javed was waiting for. In two small steps he crept up behind him and ball in hand removed the bails. Hogg was given run out amid quite a furore.

It can get vicious with players intimidating each other in anger without in any way expected to carry out the threat. So when Clarke threatened Anderson in the Brisbane Test recently, that he’ll break his hand, it was just one of maybe a million such quips all over sport; maybe even a watered down version of what has been said to the opposition but either predating stump microphones or, post it, lower volume.

Personally I believe that in a world of sport where aggressiveness towards each other builds up the adrenalin of not just the players but spectators, this is something that should be left to the cricketers to handle among themselves. The same guys often have a drink together at the end of the day’s play. Cricket has already become too policed with rules limiting what the bowler can do. Silencing the verbal warfare will only bring a dull peace and will be ‘no country for young men’, really.

The writer is a business consultant and a former CEO and board member. He is an author and cricket writer by choice for over 30 years and has served as editor of Asian edition of The Cricketer International, UK.