Rogers hints at smokescreen

Ata glance

media. Rogers revealed that he had received one of the images in a personal message from Smith.

‘‘He sent me that pic, I woke up to that pic this morning, saying he’d done it in honour of me,’’ Rogers said on The Grade Cricketer podcast.

‘‘Whether I’m a smokescreen, I’m not exactly sure. I was touched anyway to have got a message from him. They looked like they were having fun.’’

English media reported that Australian players also made fun of Leach for ‘dismissing’ Smith on a no-ball during his first innings score of 211.

Leach may have become a target due to his own post-match celebrations. After helping Ben Stokes to an incredible third test victory, he re-enacted the lone single he scored in their 10thwicket partnership at Headingley. The Ashes, fifth and final test The Oval, London 10pm tonight (day one of five)

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Rogers said that whatever happened during victory celebrations, people needed to lighten up.

‘‘After we won the Ashes in Perth in 2013-14, I managed to take a catch. I went and reenacted the catch by catching a beer bottle at the time,’’ he said.

‘‘All these things come around, it all happens. I don’t know why people are getting so offended. Who cares? It was all a bit of fun.’’

Neither the Australian or England camps have taken kindly to the story, which was driven hard in sections of the English media.

The Australian camp immediately insisted that Smith was paying homage to Rogers, a former team-mate and friend. Coach Justin Langer reiterated that stance and insisted that Smith had not mocked Leach.

‘‘Experience tells me when you’re doing well people try and pick holes in you,’’ Langer said.

‘‘That’s OK, that’s life. I was there, I know the truth, they were talking about Chris Rogers, who was here four years ago.

‘‘That is the truth of it. Chris Rogers is a great mate of the squad, that’s what it was about.

‘‘People can make of it what they like. We can’t do anything of what people make of it.

‘‘Everyone has seen the great spirit the World Cup and this series is played in. There’s been great spirit throughout. People can make of it what they like but that’s the truth.’’

England coach Trevor Bayliss called the reports ‘‘fake news’’ and said that none of his players had complained.

‘‘Fake news, Is that what Donald Trump says?’’ Bayliss said.

‘‘No one’s mentioned it, all the talk had been from you guys. Absolutely nothing.’’

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