‘I’m sure it will be brought up at some point’ – Paine

(Photo: Getty Images)

By Adam Ellis

England’s Ashes squad can expect the latest incident that has troubled to tour to be used by Australia against them, wicketkeeper Tim Paine has warned.

In a series which has flirted with on the boil sledging to draw criticisms from Matt Prior and Bob Willis, Paine commented that Australia probably would bring up the suspension of Lions batsman Ben Duckett in the third Test at the WACA.

The Northamptonshire player was banned for one match and handed a fine and warning for pouring a drink over James Anderson’s head in a bar, said to be the same bar where Jonny Bairstow greeted Cameron Bancroft with an ‘odd’ headbutt earlier in the series.

As the hosts seek to wrap up the series in Perth, Paine said of whether the Duckett incident would be mentioned: “I’m sure someone will bring it up at some stage.

“But what’s happening in their camp off the field has no effect on the way we’re going to go about our cricket.

“I haven’t paid a hell of a lot of attention to it… it’s a bit irrelevant.”

Paine has made scores of 13, 57 and 11 with the bat and taken a total of 8 catches in a series that he said had been played with an underlying mutual respect between both teams.

“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,” Paine told reporters in Perth on Monday.

“It’s been played in pretty good spirit from what I’ve seen and heard.

“Both teams have – despite what it may look like – a huge amount of respect for each other.

“I certainly haven’t heard anything that has crossed the line.”

England will be looking to keep the series alive when play gets underway in the third Test at 02:30 in the early hours of Thursday.