Aussies to sledge certain Poms: Lehmann
Oct 20, 2017 - 8:11 AM Darren Lehmann admits his Australian team have spoken about sledging certain English players during this summer's Ashes series.Australian vice-captain David Warner lit a fuse earlier this week when he called upon his teammates to find their inner "hatred" of England, comparing cricket's oldest rivalry to war.
The comments raised eyebrows in England, where former opener Marcus Trescothick labelled Warner and his comments "pathetic".
But when quizzed over the matter on Friday, Lehmann told cricket.com.au sledging some players had already come up in team discussions ahead of the opening Test in Brisbane on November 23.
"Certainly different players, very much so," Lehmann said.
"That's just having the advantage of playing at home."
Australia's last home Ashes tour reached boiling point in the first Test at the Gabba when then-captain Michael Clarke told England paceman Jimmy Anderson to "get ready for a broken f***ing arm"
Former Australian off-spinner Kerry O'Keeffe also called on Warner and his teammates to try to get under the skin of Anderson and beseiged all-rounder Ben Stokes this week, as he claimed they could both be affected by the extra attention.
Stokes in particular could become a target for the Australians if he is given permission to tour by the English and Wales Cricket Board, with a police investigation ongoing into a brawl which left a man being taken to hospital.
And while Lehmann said sledging wouldn't become personal, he believed it would become heated on both sides of the ledger.
"It's going to be a fiery series at different times but they all know each other reasonably well because they play so much cricket with and against each other these days," he said.
"As long as it doesn't go personal, and no one will go down that path, but I'm sure our boys will give as good as they get."
Source: AAP
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