Smith: We did NOT go too far with our sledging

STEVE SMITH was yesterday forced to deny Australia went too far in their sledging of Jonny Bairstow as the Ashes battle threatened to get personal. The Australia captain went into this morning’s second Test having to defend what was said during the first game at The Gabba when it emerged that Bairstow had been accused of head-butting Cameron Bancroft in a bar in Perth. There have been suggestions that Australia, led by David Warner, Peter Handscomb and Smith himself, went beyond sledging England’s keeperbatsman into personal territory. Not so, insisted Smith ahead of a day-night Test here that England can’t afford to lose. ‘Everything was fine. The game was played in a good spirit,’ said Smith. ‘As I’ve said previously, there’s a line we’re not to cross and I’ve got no issues there. The umpires and match referees are there to determine that. It’s about playing good, hard aggressive cricket. We did that well at The Gabba and we’ll continue to do so in this series.’ Then Smith turned the argument round on England’s Jimmy Anderson, who called the Australians ‘bullies’. ‘It’s interesting Jimmy calling us bullies and big sledgers,’ said Smith. ‘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 happy to get stuck into me then.’ Asked if Australia’s verbal abuse of Bairstow had gone too far, England captain Joe Root said: ‘There’s a place for banter on the field as long as it stays as banter. We don’t want it to become a series where the umpires are getting involved at every opportunity but there are certain things people shouldn’t say. ‘I’ve not had a good enough conversation with Jonny to find out what was said. I’d like to think they know when to stop. ‘If they’ve gone too far, it says more about them.’