PAINE: I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING THAT CROSSED THE LINE

Australia wicketkeeper defends his team's Ashes verbals

Tim Paine has insisted that Australia have not gone too far with their Ashes sledging.

Much of the fall-out to the first two Test matches of the series, both of which have been won by the hosts, has related to the words being exchanged between the two sets of players in the middle.

England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow alluded to the nature of the comments, while former internationals Bob Willis and Matt Prior have both suggested what has been said has been unpleasant or overly personal.

Paine, however, doesn't believe that to be the case.

"I certainly haven't heard anything that has crossed the line since I've been out there," Paine said ahead of the third Test, which starts in Perth on Thursday.

"I don't know – it might have been between overs or I was down the other end, I'm not too sure.

^{Tim Paine has defended Australia's sledging}

"I said it after the last Test as well, there's been nothing that I've heard that has been too untoward or anything that has been particularly nasty. It's just been tough Test-match cricket."

In his national newspaper column, Bairstow hinted that some of the comments might have gone beyond the realms of deceny.

"Some other things, apart from the 'headbutt' business, were said by Australia in the middle but what they were is staying there," he wrote in the Daily Mail last week.

"We move on. Hopefully it's gone now. I'm not making an issue of it. Only if they are said again would the matter go further."

But Paine said: "I don't think it has been as bad as it's been made out to be, it's been played in pretty good spirit from what I've seen and heard.

"So I'm sure that won't change. But what I do know is both teams have, despite what it may look like, a huge amount of respect for each other and I'm sure this week will be another tough week of Test cricket."

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