Johnson: England rattled by sledging

Cricket365
November 27, 2013

Fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has insisted Australia will again try to verbally intimidate England during the second Ashes Test.

Johnson was named Man of the Match after taking nine wicket in the series opener in Brisbane, where the English slumped to a 381-run defeat inside four days.

The result was overshadowed by a fine imposed by the International Cricket Council on host captain Michael Clarke, who was overheard on a stump microphone telling tail-ender James Anderson to "get ready for a f****** broken arm".

The tourists, too, were displeased by Australian left-hander David Warner's public remarks about English right-hander Jonathan Trott's "weak" and "poor" batting. Trott has since left the tour due to a stress-related illness.

"I think it's worked for us. I definitely think they're rattled by it. They don't like it at all. Obviously their coach has come out and wanted a truce from what I've heard," said Johnson. "That's not going to change from our end."

ICC chief executive David Richardson, meanwhile, has confirmed match referee Jeff Crowe's discussion with Clarke and visiting skipper Alastair Cook ahead of the second Test, which will get underway at the Adelaide Oval on 5 December.

"The match referee will be speaking to the players from both teams, but no charges have been laid other than the one brought against Clarke," added Richardson.

"I don't want to comment on specific incidents and specific players, but I think generally our attitude towards abusive language is that it is immature and unnecessary and not supported.

"What we want to do is make sure it does not get out of hand with disrespectful, disparaging comments or abusive comments – and the match referee will be talking to both teams before the second Test.

"Our attitude is to let the action speak rather than words. That is more effective – hard, aggressive cricket yes, but let's not stoop to abusive or disparaging comments."