Ashes 2010-11: England’s Kevin Pietersen downplays hype over sledging
English cricketer Kevin Pietersen has dismissed media hype surrounding the apparent return of the Australian cricket team to its legendary sledging habits, saying that he and his teammates haven’t seen or heard anything in the
current Ashes series “differently to what normally happens in a Test match."
Pietersen recalls having to deal with some “pretty big verbal contests” during England’s last visit to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746, but maintains that the current Australian team is nowhere near the level of past teams in terms of verbal abuse.
"Having played against Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, the sledging here is non-existent,” said Pietersen. “You haven't seen any huge battles on the field or any proper abuse. No one's said anything to me after they bowled a ball
to me."
Although both Australia and England have admitted that there was a heated exchange of words between their players during the third Test match at Perth, Pietersen insists that “there are not really any big chirpers or big sledgers,
its just England versus Australia. It’s just an Ashes series.”
"Blokes get a bit of red mist occasionally,” he acknowledged. “You're allowed to do that on both teams. You're playing for a little urn. It's historic. It's huge. But there's nothing that's been overboard."
Regardless of Pietersen’s downplaying of the matter, certain players are indeed being singled out in the media for their hot tempers and foul language, including England's James Anderson and Matthew Prior as well as Australia's
Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle.
The fourth Test match of the Ashes series will begin on December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
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