Sledging’s OK, but no abuse, Langer insists

COACH Justin Langer has signalled his approval for Australia to carry on sledging but insists there is no room for rampant on-field abuse.

The Aussies’ berating behaviour was called into question during their South African tour in March.

The disastrous series culminated in the ball tampering scandal that resulted in former captain Steve Smith and deputy David Warner being suspended for a year and former coach Darren Lehmann stepping down.

Angry on-field exchanges contributed to a call for a general cultural change within the Aussie camp.

Langer, who succeeded Lehmann, is sure his side will keep up the on-field chatter but says there have to be strict boundaries. In other words, sledging good, abuse bad.

“Everyone talks about sledging, but there’s a difference between banter and abuse,” Langer said as Australia began its one-day tour of England overnight.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re off the field or on it, there’s no room for abuse, but there’s plenty of room for banter or what we call sledging. It’s actually a fun part of the game, but when anyone steps over the line with abuse it’s not on, it’s as simple as that.”

To prove a point, the former Test opener said he still deployed mind games while playing the card game Uno with his daughter.

“If I play Uno with my daughter, there’s lots of banter, we sledge each other but we don’t abuse each other,” said Langer, 47.

“She wants to beat me big time and I want to beat her back big time. That’s OK, that’s part of the game, but I never abuse her and if she abuses me, that’s trouble, you know?”

Australia had a chance to implement its new approach overnight in a tune-up against English county side Sussex, coached by former Test bowler Jason Gillespie.

Langer’s men then return to Lord’s to face Middlesex before opening hostilities against England in the first ODI at the Oval next Wednesday.