Steve Smith has laughed off suggestions England got the better of him with their sledging in the pink-ball Ashes Test.
Jimmy Anderson claims a calculated England lured Smith into distraction with their verbal barrage during his knock of 40 in Australia's second innings at Adelaide Oval.
It wasn't enough for the visitors to avoid going down 2-0 in the series after Australia sealed a 120-run victory on day five.
But Anderson said it was mission accomplished for England when Smith fired back at the tourists and appeared to lose focus.
"I think it did work yeah, because we got him out quite cheaply," Anderson said.
"I think picking the right time to do something like that, just trying to get someone out of their little bubble and unsettle them is a good thing.
"At that point in time Steve seemed more interested in having a chat with me and Stuart (Broad) than actually focusing on his job, so that's a job well done from our point of view."
Australia's skipper took the opposite view.
"I think they actually switched me on to be perfectly honest with you," he said on Wednesday.
"I think it was when they stopped talking to me that I might have lost concentration.
"I actually enjoyed it. It made me really focused and got me in my little bubble ... they can think what they like but from my point of view it actually made me focus."
Tensions between the two sides bubbled away in Adelaide, with former England wicketkeeper Matt Prior suggesting Australia had crossed the line with their on-field barbs.
Joe Root appeared to bear the brunt of Australia's hostility and was involved in fiery clashes with Tim Paine, Peter Handscomb and Nathan Lyon at different times.
But the England skipper said he was comfortable with the verbal onslaught.
"It's Ashes cricket," he said.
"I don't think it ever went too far. I think both sides are desperate to win and desperate to do their country proud, and that was expressed out on the field."
Share
