Australian opener David Warner has made a very early start to next year’s Ashes trash talking.
11 months out from Australia’s Ashes defence, the big-swinging batsman has thrown his support behind on-field banter by labelling England fast bowler James Anderson as an “instigator”, saying he too enjoys a bit of a sledge.
Anderson only recently emerged from an icy run-in with the International Cricket Council for an aggressive confrontation with Ravindra Jadeja during the current Indian tour of England.
“Every team needs one (instigator) and I think Jimmy Anderson is probably England’s instigator,” Warner told Sportsfan, recalling a famous incident featuring Anderson at the crease during last year’s first Test at the Gabba.
“I was fielding at gully and what no-one could hear or see was what Jimmy Anderson was saying to George Bailey,” Warner said.
“George Bailey’s playing his first Test, (it’s the) Ashes, we’re at the final moment, and he’s actually sledging George Bailey.
“Bailey wouldn’t sledge anyone. So we’ve all just had enough of it so we all kept on going at him (Anderson). Then Michael Clarke decided to come down put it straight to him,” referring to the controversial scene where a stump microphone caught the Australian captain telling Anderson to “Get ready for a f***ing broken arm.”
Despite there apparently being no love lost between Anderson and the Australian team, Warner admitted sledging is a part of the game.
“I know sometimes I’m that (the instigator) for the Australian team,” he said.
“We all love sledging out there in the heat of the battle and I think a thing on Jimmy’s side is he’s actually a bowler, so he can do that.
“As a batsman, we can try but if we nick off, they’re just going to send us packing.
“I think it’s good for the game on the field but you can’t cross that line.”
With a lot cricket still to be played beforehand, Australia’s tour of England won’t officially kick off until Wednesday, July 8 2015 for the first Test at Sophia Gardens.
Photo: Saheed Khan/Getty Images
