‘Sledging is good, but abuse crosses line’

Australia coach Justin Langer insisted "sledging's a good thing" as the team prepared to face England in their first series since March's dramatic ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.

Langer, however, stressed that "banter" would not be allowed to descend into "abuse", as captain Tim Paine promised Australia "won't be silent" during a five-match one-day international series.

After the ball-tampering scandal, there were concerns that sledging or verbal taunts had contributed to a toxic atmosphere between the Australia and South Africa teams.

But Langer said that, as far as he was concerned, sledging was just another word for banter.

Paine, alongside Langer at Lord's, explained: "The thing we've spoken about is the difference between abuse and banter.

"We won't be silent. We're going to be speaking, trying to put pressure on teams as we usually do. But we have to be respectful."

Paine added: "I'm sure you're going to hear us talking through the stump mic.

"But it's up to me, Justin and the senior players to stay on the side of banter and never go to abuse.

"There's no doubt our reputation took a bit of a battering in South Africa.

"Coming to England now with new faces, a new coach, just getting back into cricket is an opportunity for us to move on and show we've made a few changes."

‘Toilet paper'

Australia, who are in England without injured frontline strike bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, as well as Smith and Warner, start their tour with a warm-up match against a Sussex side coached by former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie in Hove on Thursday.

Ricky Ponting, the former Australia captain, will join Langer's backroom staff next week but the coach said it was ultimately down to the players to make good on the team's new code of conduct.

"We have our values and our expectations, that's really important," said the 47-year-old Langer.

"But I've said this for 25 years, we can have the fanciest mission statements, but if you don't live them, they're like toilet paper mate. They are written down, but unless you live them they're meaningless."

He added: "We've just got to create the environment where it's a great changing room. "All culture is  behaviour. Make it good on and off the field. If we've got good behaviours, then we've got a good environment."

Australia, the World Cup champions, begin their series with 2019 hosts England, currently the top-ranked ODI side, at The Oval on June 13.

sutherland quits

 Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland announced Wednesday he will stand down in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal that rattled the game and an acrimonious pay dispute with players.

Sutherland, who has been chief executive for 17 of his 20 years with Cricket Australia, has given 12 months' notice and will continue in his role until a suitable replacement is found.

"After nearly 20 years at Cricket Australia, the time is right. I feel very comfortable that this is the right time for me and a good time for the game," he said.

Sutherland becomes the latest in a growing list of changes in Australian cricket over recent months.

He came under intense pressure in March when former captain Steve Smith, his deputy David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft attempted to alter the ball in the third Test in South Africa.