SA v Australia: De Kock, warner reacquainted

(FILES) In this file photograph taken on March 3, 2018, Australian batsman David Warner (L) is watched by South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock as he plays a shot on the third day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Australia at The Kingsmead Stadium in Durban.
Australian coach Darren Lehmann expects the coaches and captains of both teams to “chat” before the second Test against South Africa starting in Port Elizabeth on March 9, 2018, after a bad-tempered start to the series. Lehmann was talking to Australian journalists after an acrimonious ending to the first Test in Durban after leaked closed-circuit television footage showed a confrontation between Australian vice-captain David Warner and South Africa’s Quinton de Kock.

“Sook” – What does David Warner’s insult to Quinton de Kock mean?

“What did you just call me?”

SA v Australia: De Kock, warner reacquainted

(FILES) In this file photograph taken on March 3, 2018, Australian batsman David Warner (L) is watched by South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock as he plays a shot on the third day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Australia at The Kingsmead Stadium in Durban.
Australian coach Darren Lehmann expects the coaches and captains of both teams to “chat” before the second Test against South Africa starting in Port Elizabeth on March 9, 2018, after a bad-tempered start to the series. Lehmann was talking to Australian journalists after an acrimonious ending to the first Test in Durban after leaked closed-circuit television footage showed a confrontation between Australian vice-captain David Warner and South Africa’s Quinton de Kock.

We’ve had a week of simmering tensions since the first Test was won by Australia in Durban, fuelled by the ugly war of words between David Warner and Quinton de Kock. In fact, the word “sook” was used. Eh?

There are three versions of this story: Warner’s, de Kock’s, and the truth. It all kicked off when the players headed back to the dressing rooms on day four. Warner and de Kock got into an extremely heated war of words and had to be separated by teammates.

Warner’s choice language

Aussie opening batsman Warner alleges that Quinton was the only guilty party. He claimed that the South African made a “vile and disgusting” comment about his wife.

However, video footage that emerged later this week shows David Warner leading a verbal tirade against his loathed opponent. He repeatedly calls de Kock a “sook”. Which is a strange choice of words, given that he’s not likely to understand the meaning.

What does sook mean?

Well, it’s either a small town in Malaysia or something far more sinister. We’re going to opt for the latter on this one.

A “sook” is a timid or cowardly person. It is used specifically to taunt younger people, and act as a very demeaning way to talk down to someone. A more modern, globally accepted version of the term would be “crybaby”.

Dictionary.com believe that the word originates from the behaviour of young animals. Calves that need to “suck/sook” from their mother’s teats are small, weak and needy. It’s etymology goes back as far as the 1890s.

The beautiful game?

There we have it. Quinton de Sook – sorry, de Kock – can consider himself a little more enlightened now. Hopefully, the second Test is played is a more gentlemanly spirit. But if not, we have plenty of our own bespoke insults in the bag.

That’s the beauty of having 11 official languages, hey?