Sledging takes on a personal slant at The Oval.
Despite the series being decided Australia has attempted to play mind games with the England side in the fifth Ashes Test at the Oval.
As England crawled along at around two runs an over, Michael Clarke and his side took the fight to England in a more cerebral way.
However, the sledging and banter between the two sides took on more of a childish overtone to it as Clarke and Shane Watson clashed with Kevin Pietersen.
Tempers flared when Ian Bell walked out to bat after tea, with Watson telling Pietersen to “look after the child” in reference to Bell’s small stature.
The Australian captain then took aim at Pietersen saying: No one in your team likes you”.
This elicited a response from the middle-order batsman: “You’re the captain and no one likes you.”
The strange sledging follows on from Darren Lehmann’s verbal attack on England all-round Stuart Broad, with the national coach calling for crowds in Australia during the return series to make life as uncomfortable as possible for him.
However, the on-field talk between the sides was greeted with humor from Peter Siddle after day three, with the fast bowler saying there was not much in it.
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