WE’LL BUTT BACK, VOW POMS
ENGLAND is fuming that Australia has humiliated Jonny Bairstow, and has vowed to avenge its undersiege keeper in the must-win second Test.
Spiritual leader James Anderson has declared the sledging directed at Bairstow over his headbutt in Brisbane will be used as inspiration to fight fire with fire in Adelaide.
Australian batsman Peter Handscomb has indicated the verbal onslaught will continue out in the historic day-night Ashes Test, and made no apologies for going after Bairstow, his county teammate at Yorkshire.
Anderson says he lives for these moments when Ashes tensions explode and has even thrown down the gauntlet to Australia’s intimidating pace attack to keep peppering him and the English tail with a bouncer assault — pledging to “take a few blows” for his embattled team.
The veteran who was famously warned by Michael Clarke to “get ready for a broken f------ arm” four years ago, yesterday had net bowlers deliver him massive front-foot no balls in a bid to simulate the extreme speed and bounce of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.
Australia’s strategic mind games embarrassed Bairstow and England at the turning point in the first Test, and Anderson is determined to ensure his side does not let the perceived disrespect slide.
“If anything, it will galvanise us as a group,” he said.
“We’re all going to get behind Jonny, who is an important player in our team. If we need any more incentive to get back in the series, it will give us that.
“It’s something I’ve always enjoyed. When someone is trying to get under my skin in all walks of life it makes me more determined to succeed.
“They will go hard at us ... it’s up to us individually and as a group to stick together and know we are not here to roll over.”
Handscomb admits he has never experienced sledging work as effectively as it did against Bairstow — and said Australia would continue to test out England’s “mental capabilities”.
Bairstow may or may not be the chief target in the second Test, but Handscomb has no mixed feelings about baiting someone he considers a friend.
“We’re trying our hardest to win games for this country and if that’s going to give us a slight edge, well, we’re going to do it,” he said.
“As far as sledging goes it was probably some of the smartest stuff we’ve ever come up with.
“It’s a part of the game ... if it opens up a weakness we’ll be pretty happy with it.”
Australia is making no secret of its plan to attack England’s tail with short-pitch bowling after it worked so effectively in Brisbane.