ENGLAND’S bid to snatch back The Ashes starts in earnest on Friday as sledging season gets underway.
While there is often much to admire when England battle Australia to secure the tiny urn, players will resort to some low stunts to get the upper hand.
Ben Stokes will lead his England stars into the most ferocious of battles
This includes mind games, or sledging as it is known in cricket.
Here, SunSport takes a look at six top sledging clashes when the two teams came face-to-face over the years.
Glenn McGrath and Mike Atherton
Fast bowler McGrath tried out an old favourite on the England opener and it appeared to work.
McGrath: “Hey, Athers, it would help if you got rid of the s*** at the end of your bat.”
Atherton looks at the bottom of his bat.
McGrath: “No, mate, the other end.”
Glenn McGrath and Michael Atherton were involved in some fierce sledging over the years
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Rod Marsh and Ian Botham
Botham arrived at the wicket and Aussie wicketkeeper Marsh piped up from behind the stumps in the 1986-87 Test.
Marsh: “So how’s your wife and my kids?”
Botham: “Wife’s fine, kids are retarded.”
Ian Botham took no prisoners as one of the game’s greatest all-rounders – and with his sledging too
James Anderson and Michael Hussey
Anderson took to calling Aussie left-hander “Dave” throughout the 2010-11 series – apparently confusing him with his cricketing brother, Dave Hussey.
Eventually, Hussey snapped.
Hussey: “Hey, Jimmy, my name’s Mike.”
Anderson: “Oh, sorry about that, Dave.”
Jimmy Anderson, left, insisted on calling Michael Hussey (right) ‘Dave’ – the name of his brother
Ian Healy and Nasser Hussain
England skipper Nasser Hussain has a prominent proboscis.
One day in 2010, the Aussies were discussing fielding positions. Eventually captain Steve Waugh made his decision.
Waugh to Ricky Ponting: “Field at silly point. I want you right under his nose.”
Wicketkeeper Ian Healy: “That could be anywhere inside a three-mile radius.”
Ian Healy took the mick out of England star Nasser Hussain’s nose
Robin Smith and Merv Hughes
Big Merv was one of the game’s great sledgers and in 1989 exchanged words with England’s Robin Smith.
After playing and missing a few times, Hughes snapped: “You can’t f****** bat.”
Next ball, Smith belted a boundary and responded: “Hey Merv, we make a fine pair. I can’t f****** bat and you can’t f****** bowl!”
Merv Hughes was involved in a heated argument back in the day with Robin Smith
Merv Hughes yells at Graeme Hick at Old Trafford, June 1993
James Ormond and Mark Waugh
Englishman James Ormond took the runner up spot with his trash talk aimed at Australia’s Mark Waugh in 2001.
As Ormond arrived at the crease Waugh asked: “What are you doing out here? There’s no way you’re good enough to play for England”.
But Ormond came back with the burn saying: “Maybe not, but at least I’m the best player in my own family”, in reference to his brother and captain of the Australian team Steve.
James Ormond was refusing to let the experienced Mark Waugh get the upper hand
