Rookie Australian Test paceman at the receiving end of South African fans

The antagonistic reception given to Harbhajan Singh by Australian fans during the Indian team's acrimonious tour of Australia last year was a Boy Scouts' picnic compared to the roasting given by South African fans to temperamental Australian pace bowler Peter Siddle in the first Test at Johannesburg on Monday.

Chants of "Siddle's a w....." rent the Wanderers' Stadium for almost three hours after Australia completed a comprehensive 162-run over the Proteas, when Ricky Ponting's men emerged from the dressing-room to continue their celebrations on the ground with a full-throated rendition of "Under the Southern Cross I Stand", the team song.

The song (led by custodian Michael Hussey this time) is usually sung in the dressing-room after several hours of beer-drinking.

Although rambunctious, the tourists' on-field celebrations paled into insignificance compared to the fans' expression of disgust over Siddle's barrage of bouncers at the home team's batsmen, notably fast bowler Dale Steyn.

Delighted: Australian's Peter Siddle celebrates a dismissal on the final day of the first Test match against South Africa at Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg on Monday. Pic/AFP Read Next Story Guiding light› Trending Stories Latest Photos Latest Videos Latest Web Stories ADVERTISEMENT Mid-Day Fast ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT