The England Test squad was ‘sledged’ during their Ashes warm-up match on Thursday (November 13).
England arrived Down Under for the highly anticipated Ashes series. Their only match practice ahead of the Tests is a three-day intra-squad game against the England Lions which kicked off earlier today at Lilac Hill Park in Perth.
Read more: Explained: Why players are wearing black armbands for the England v Lions Ashes warm-up match
Less than four overs in though, reporters at the venue made note of a vehicle driving by from which someone yelled, “F*** you, you Pommie c***s!”
The war of words off the field is well and truly raging as well. Earlier this week, former Australia quick Rodney Hogg went in on Joe Root, claiming the England star would be their “weakness” in this series. Matthew Hayden was more complimentary earlier, but more graphic when he said he would “walk nude around the MCG” if Root did not score a century Down Under this summer.
When England landed in Australia, the West Australian newspaper mocked Ben Stokes with a full-page image captioned “Baz bawl”, before referring to Root as “Average Joe” not long after.
Ex-England skipper Nasser Hussain said on Sky Sports yesterday that “Bazball has wound them [Australia] up,” and that “they have been waiting” for this England team to travel there.
Later in the game, the smattering of spectators allowed in to the ground also had their own words to say on England’s attack, selected for this series keeping high pace in mind.
The England Test team bowled first against the Lions, which also included Test squad members Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts and Shoaib Bashir. Brydon Carse did not take part in the match due to illness.
Read more: England Ashes intra-squad match: Stokes takes six, five Lions batters score half-centuries
The Lions were all out for 382 in 79.3 overs on day one, captain Ben Stokes leading the way with the ball with 6-52 in 16 overs.
Twenty-one-year-old opener Ben McKinney scored 67, before Jordan Cox (53), Jacks (84) and 17-year-old Thomas Rew (55) also scored half-centuries.
Potts landed more than his fair share of blows with the bat, hitting Joe Root for four sixes in an over (including three in a row) before departing for an entertaining 53 off 41 from No.9.
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