Tim Paine Takes Shot At Ben Stokes, England Hypocrisy Over Sledging

Australia Test captain Tim Paine has called out the hypocrisy of England’s cricket team and their fans when it comes to sledging. The wicketkeeper-batsman’s comments after Ben Stokes’ reaction to an ‘Ed Sheeran’ jibe while in South Africa last month.

The incident had taken place during the Wanderers Test between South Africa and England. After being dismissed for two, Ben Stokes was about to climb the stairs when he turned toward the crowd and launched a x-rated rant.

He was caught on camera calling a cricket fan a ‘f***ing four-eyed c***’ as he made his way to the dressing room in Johannesburg. “Say it to me outside the ground you f***ing four-eyed c***,” he said while storming into the dressing room.

England’s World Cup hero took offence to the South African supporter that called him ‘Ed Sheeran’. He later apologised, but complained out the “repeated abuse” he received during that series. However, Tim Paine did now show any sympathy for Ben Stokes or England.

The Australia said that it was a perfect example of double-standards from the England team when it came to sledging, especially considering the barrage of insults that Australian duo Steve Smith and David Warner endured during the Ashes.

“Worse than being called Ed Sheeran? I think they might have,” Tim Paine told News Corp about the sledging Smith and Warner received against England and are likely to receive again on their return to South Africa, the site of their infamous ball-tampering scandal.

“Absolutely, all the time. And it wasn’t just Steve and Dave, it was everyone.

“This is one of the things that’s always irked me, particularly with the English. You cannot react to the crowd [like Stokes in Johannesburg], but then always encourage the Barmy Army to do exactly the same, and worse – abuse players.

“Like we had in Edgbaston… they clap them at the end of the days’ play and make a big point of thanking them, as like the 12th man, or 13th player.

“Then a little thing like that [Stokes being called Ed Sheeran], they react and all of a sudden, ‘We’re getting abused from the crowd, we’re getting this, we’re getting that.’ That’s international cricket, just get on with it. It frustrates me, it really does,” he added.

While Tim Paine is at home, his Australian teammates are in South Africa for the T20I and ODI series, starting on Friday at the Wanderers. Both Warner and Smith are expected to face the heat from the South Africa fans for their involvement in the infamous ball-tampering scandal in 2018.

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