Melbourne [Australia], Nov. 1 : Australian spinner Nathan Lyon has insisted that his team are ready compete with South Africa in the sledging department in the upcoming three match Test series.
Ever since Steve Smith has took over the captaincy, Australia---who are considered to be the masters of sledging in world cricket---have somewhat toned down their approach.
But the Australian off-spinner has suggested that there would be lot of fireworks on the field if the situation warrants it during the Proteas Test series, starting at the WACA in Perth from November 3.
"We're going to play the Australian way. We're going to compete hard. We're not going to roll over. If one of our players is getting a hard time, we're going to stick up for him," Lyon was quoted as saying by news.com.au.
"We know where the line is. We headbutt it, but we don't go over it.If one of our players is down and we need to look after him, we'll do that.
It's just the Australian way," he added. Injured South African skipper AB De Villiers had recently claimed that the sledging done by the Australian cricketers in their last three-match Test series in 2014 was the worst he has witnessed in his entire career.
Insisting that De Villiers must never have been sledged before, Australia pacer Peter Siddle had said the Australian side was `pretty tame` during 2014 series in contrast to past eras and past teams.
Meanwhile, Faf du Plessis, who is leading the side in the absence of injured De Villiers, believes the Australian cricket's snarly sledging era is now over, especially because Smith is now leading the side.
"I have played against Australia now a lot of times and I think this (Australian) team is a little bit different than the team of old.
The two of us play a similar brand of cricket now ... we more let the cricket do the talking," Du Plessis said. The first Test starts at the WACA in Perth from Thursday, the second Test would be played at the Bellerive Oval, Hobart from November 12 and the third and the last Test at the Adelaide Oval from November 24.
Source: ANI
