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Australian cricket captain Tim Paine has angrily shot down suggestions there was any added niggle between his side and England on day three of the final Ashes Test, saying too much is being made of verbal exchanges between players when everyone should instead be more focused on the cricket.
The was plenty of chat in the middle of The Oval, particularly during the morning session, as England piled on the runs in its second innings.
Matthew Wade was his usual talkative self, giving captain Joe Root a serve and regularly chirping the English stars as he has done all series.
Wade was seen talking with umpire Kumar Dharmasena then his fellow official Marais Erasmus approached Paine, leading West Indian great Michael Holding to speculate the umpires were telling the Aussies to tone down the talk.
"I think he (Erasmus) is trying to impress upon them that talking is for the dressing room," Holding said in commentary for Sky Sports. "If you talk out on the field you talk to your mates, not the opposition."
However, Paine denied the umpires said anything to him about reducing the level of chat. "Not about that," Paine said when asked about his interaction with Erasmus. "The incident, Joe Root and Matthew Wade were talking to each other, there was nothing in it at all."
Cricket writer for The Telegraph, Isabelle Westbury, said on Twitter Stokes called David Warner a "f***ing prick" as the players left the field at lunch while Stokes was sledged in the middle session when facing Nathan Lyon.
Australia's Peter Siddle appeals unsuccessfully the wicket of England's Joe Denly, right, during the third day of the fifth Ashes test match between England and Australia. Photo / AP
"Aww yeah, Bristol," at least one of the Aussies said, referencing Stokes' infamous night on the town in the English city when he got into a fight outside a bar in 2017 and knocked a man out.
Stump microphones picked up some of the exchanges but Paine was firm in declaring there was nothing wrong with the behaviour of any of his teammates.
"You tell me. I think we've been fantastic, I think both sides have played this series in good spirit. It's competitive Test cricket and people are going to talk to each other," Paine said.
"I don't know why it's such an issue. It's fine. They are grown men having a conversation. No one is swearing, no one is abusing anyone.
"It's Test match cricket and I don't understand why so much is made of something so little — particularly given the standard of cricket being played.
"I think there's so much more to talk about."
Joe Denly was at the crease for most of the day so he would have heard much of what was said during the course of the three sessions. The 33-year-old top scored for England, making 94 before falling agonisingly short of a maiden Test century when he was caught at slip off the bowling of Peter Siddle late in the afternoon.
Asked for his thoughts on Wade, who has been vocal right throughout the summer, and what the sledging was like in general, Denly played down any added tension between the two fierce rivals.
"It's two very competitive teams playing in a pretty big series, of course, and I think Matthew Wade's a very competitive player and just trying to do his best for Australia," Denly said.
"Of course there's always going to be a little bit of niggle out there but (there was) nothing too over the line or anything like that, just a bit of friendly banter."
Denly said he didn't hear the gibes about Stokes and Bristol and denied he was targeted, instead suggesting he was merely asked about his sleeping habits after his daughter was born during this Test.
"I didn't hear anything about Bristol," Denly said. "Of course when Ben Stokes comes to the crease, being the kind of player he is, they're going to try and unsettle him.
"Stokesy deals with that pretty well. I think he's shown that throughout the series.
"Nothing directed at me. Just asking me if I had any sleep and pretty friendly banter."
Australia has worked hard to change its reputation as an on-field bully since the cheating scandal in South Africa and the cultural revolution under Paine and coach Justin Langer has been hailed as a success, with the team winning back respect for the way it plays its cricket and not just the results it attains.
Cricket Australia CEO Kevin Roberts said on day three it was a testament to the new approach that no Aussie has been hit with a code of conduct violation since last year's ball tampering scandal.
England went to stumps on day three at 8/313, boasting a lead of 383 as it looks to set Australia an imposing fourth innings run chase and square the series up at 2-2.
