Shane Warne warns James Anderson, Stuart Broad of Australian sledging
Shane Warne warns James Anderson, Stuart Broad of Australian sledging
London: Australia great Shane Warne has told England new-ball duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad to expect plenty of “sledging,” or verbal abuse, to come their way during the upcoming Ashes series. READ: Sky Sports and ‘We didn’t Start the Fire’: What do the words mean?
Anderson has contrasted the sporting atmosphere which prevailed during England’s recent series with New Zealand to the “needle” that existed during the last Ashes campaign, which Australia won 5-0 on home soil in 2013-14. READ: James Anderson calls for sledging-free Ashes
Infamously told by Australia captain Michael Clarke to “get ready for a broken f**king arm” during the first Test in Brisbane while batting as a tailender, Anderson said he hoped the latest series between the arch-rivals could be played in the same spirit as England’s series with New Zealand. READ: England must display fearlessness to regain Ashes, says Michael Vaughan
“That was a really positive series and the nature of both sides’ cricket was helped by the spirit the game was played in,” Anderson said Wednesday. READ: Michael Clarke promises Australia will not cross sledging line
However, retired leg-spin star Warne, in a column for Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper, wrote: “Are you for real Jimmy? Seriously! This is the Ashes and I can tell Jimmy now that he is going to cop it from the Aussies more than anyone. When he’s batting, it will be 11 against one in the middle. I reckon Michael Clarke and his team will carry on from the last (Ashes) series and give it to Jimmy and Stuart Broad.” READ: Michael Clarke responds to Jason Gillespie’s ‘dad’s army’ criticsm of Australia
Warne added: “There isn’t anyone in world cricket who doesn’t know about Stuart Broad’s concerns with the short ball. If you had your time again Stuart, would you really have fessed up in public about this? When either of those two (Anderson and Broad) bat, the Aussie fielders will be like koalas round a eucalyptus tree.” The first Ashes Test starts in Cardiff on July 8. READ: Shane Warne backs Ryan Harris ahead of Josh Hazlewood for Ashes 2015