Bats to the wall job after sledge
ENGLAND are fuming that Australia have humiliated Jonny Bairstow and have vowed to avenge their undersiege wicketkeeper in the second Test.
James Anderson has declared the sledging directed at Bairstow in Brisbane for headbutting will be used as inspiration in Adelaide.
Australian batsman Peter Handscomb has indicated the verbal onslaught will continue in the historic daynight Ashes Test and made no apologies for going after Bairstow, who is his county teammate in Yorkshire.
Anderson said he lived for moments when Ashes tensions exploded and has invited Australia’s pace attack to keep peppering him and the English tail with bouncers, pledging to “take a few blows” for his embattled team.
The veteran bowler, who famously was warned by Michael Clarke to “get ready for a broken f---ing 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 mind games embarrassed a guilty Bairstow and England in the turning point of the first Test.
Anderson is determined to ensure his side doesn’t let the disrespect slide.
“If anything it will galvanise us as a group,” Anderson 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 said he hadn’t experienced sledging work as effectively as it did against Bairstow and said Australia would continue to test “mental capabilities”.
Whether or not Bairstow is the chief target in the second Test, Handscomb has no qualms about baiting a friend.
“During Shield cricket we came pretty hard at each other, even though we are teammates,” he said.
“As far as sledging goes it was probably some of the smartest stuff we’ve ever come up with.”
IF WE NEED ANY MORE INCENTIVE TO GET BACK IN THE SERIES, IT WILL GIVE US THAT ANDERSON ON THE SLEDGING