Tour of froth and friction

In season of drama, Ashes series verges on real-life soap opera

JOE Root doesn’t want the Ashes to become a soap opera and Steve Smith is like-minded, but the rival captains enter the second Test under a cantankerous cloud of bad blood, barbs, blow-ups, claims and counter-claims.

Niggle is a near-constant in most Test series between Australia and England. The current contest, which the hosts lead 1-0 after winning by 10 wickets in Brisbane, is no dif- ferent. From the moment David Warner uttered the words hatred and war almost two months ago, it’s been on.

Nathan Lyon spoke like a spearhead then bowled like one at the Gabba. Ben Stokes’ situation has been a keenly followed circus, while Jonny Bairstow and Jimmy Anderson would also be high in the credits if a TV soap were to be made about this summer.

The line between phoney war and genuine rivalry can sometimes be hard to pin down — much like the one Smith’s side vow to headbutt but not cross with their sledging.

But this week has featured several signs that tensions could boil over in the daynight Test that starts at Adelaide Oval today.

Australia’s sledging last week is a clear point of clash.

“Their line and our line are slightly different things,” England skipper Root observed yesterday. “That’s not how we roll.”

Root’s counterpart offered a stern defence of Australia’s conduct. “Everything was fine. It was played in good spirit,” Smith said. “There’s a line there that we’re not to cross.

“The umpires and match referees are there to determine that. It’s an Ashes series. There’s always that banter on and off the field.”

Smith named an unchanged XI yesterday while Root was unable to because of a blister on Moeen Ali’s spinning finger.

Root flagged the prospect of his allrounder playing as a specialist batsman. Off the

field, spot fires have also broken out over Smith’s fits of laughter during Cameron Bancroft’s deadpan Gabba media conference plus Anderson’s claim that Australia are bullies.

Smith struggled to hide his disbelief, given England’s alltime leading wicket-taker is a serial sledger.

“It’s interesting coming from Jimmy, calling us bullies and big sledgers,” Smith said.

“He’s one of the biggest sledgers in the game ... to me in particular. I remember back in 2010 when I first started and wasn’t any good, he was pretty happy to get stuck into me then.”

Michael Clarke is among many pundits predicting a 5-0 smashing if England folds in possibly its best chance of winning a Test this series because of swing with the pink ball.

Yet Smith insists there’s no reason to expect a particularly heated contest in Adelaide.

Root agreed, imploring both sides to ensure cricket is the focus. “I don’t want this series to become a soap opera,” he told the BBC.