"Sledging," or "mental disintegration" as it is referred to by the Australians, is the use of abusive or offensive words against an opponent. Sledge is taken from the Australian saying "as subtle as a sledgehammer" and the Aussies have gained a reputation as masters of the art. Here are a few classic quips:

Merv Hughes (Australia) and Javed Miandad (Pakistan)

During the 1991 Adelaide Test match, Hughes was unimpressed with Miandad speaking Urdu rather than English, and even less so when Miandad, who was batting, contemptuously called the bowler a "fat bus conductor."