Anderson says England fired up by sledging

Anderson insists England’s sole intent to retain the Ashes means there will be no partying around Australia this winter.

The tourists’ senior seamer predicts they will be “galvanised” by Australia’s sledging of Jonny Bairstow as they try to battle back from 1-0 down in Adelaide.

Anderson reports they are not concerned either by the midnight tour curfew imposed after uproar broke out over Bairstow’s strange ‘head-butt’ greeting for Australia opener Cameron Bancroft.

The England wicketkeeper used the unconventional yet benign gesture to introduce himself to Bancroft for the first time in a Perth bar a month ago.

Unwittingly, he opened himself up to ridicule when Australia decided to remind him about it while he was batting in the second innings of the first Test.

The tactic, picked up on stump mic, led to a ruling by England and Wales Cricket Board director Andrew Strauss that his players should not stay out so late again while on tour.

But Anderson said: “It is not like we are party animals, out until three every night.

“Our focus is showing what we can do with a cricket bat and ball in our hands.”

It will only help him, and team-mates such as Bairstow, focus even harder if Australia keep trying to put them off their game, added Anderson.

“When someone is trying to get under my skin in all walks of life it makes me more determined to succeed,” he said.

None of the chat which accompanied England’s 10-wicket defeat in Brisbane surprised Anderson.

“It’s up to us to try to deal with that, ignore it . . . 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.”

The second Test starts tomorrow.

James Anderson insists England have been “galvanised”.