Langer insists Australia’s celebrations did not mock Leach

‘Experience tells me, when you’re doing well, people try and pick holes in you. That’s life’ JUSTIN LANGER

AUSTRALIA head coach Justin Langer has rejected suggestions that his team’s Ashes celebrations at Old Trafford last Sunday targeted England’s Jack Leach for mockery.

Victory in the fourth Test in Manchester handed the tourists an unbeatable 2-1 lead, guaranteeing their retention of the Ashes regardless of the outcome of this week’s series finale at the The Oval.

Songs were sung, beers drained and the occasional profanity uttered but what garnered most interest was star batsman Steve Smith’s decision to don a pair of glasses and imitate batting left-handed – much to the mirth of his team-mates.

That was read by onlookers as cheap shot at Somerset’s Leach, the tail-end batsman whose constant attention to his spectacles while at the crease has made him a cult favourite among England fans.

Langer was unimpressed by that interpretation and stood behind the official version of events – that Smith was actually mimicking a former Australia team-mate who was last seen on the Test stage in 2015.

“I was there, I know the truth, they were talking about Chris Rogers, who was here four years ago,” said Langer – who, like Rogers, is a former Somerset batsman.

“Chris Rogers is a great mate of the squad, that’s what it was about,” Langer added. “People can make of it what they like. We can’t do anything about what people make of it.

“Experience tells me, when you’re doing well, people try and pick holes in you. That’s OK, that’s life.

“Everyone around the world, has seen the great spirit the World Cup and this series is played in. There has been great spirit throughout. People can make of it what they like, but that’s the truth. There’s a good feeling in this group,” he added.

“They know there’s still unfinished business, and we’re looking forward to this last Test match.”

The final Test at The Oval starts tomorrow. Australia will consider changes to their bowling line-up, who have had a heavy workload in the past two matches, but look set to persist with the out-of-sorts David Warner at opener.

Warner has only registered double figures once in eight innings, but will get another chance. “David hasn’t had a great series, there’s no secret about that, but he’s also a great player,” Langer insisted.

“He probably hasn’t been through this lean run before, so it’s going to be a good test of his character.”