Is Kevin Pietersen Taunting Australia When He Says They Ain't No Sledgers a la Mate Warnie

The sledging started late in the Ashes 2010 series, but is not taking a step backwards since. Even as the Australians are celebrating a return to winning ways and celebrating it rather vocally, Kevin Pietersen says, the present Australian cricket team is not good at sledging as their predecessors.

kevin pietersen relaxes on the field

The England batsman is unfazed by the fact that England lost the third Test of the Ashes at the WACA in Perth to let Australia level the series at 1-1. While he believes England were stunned by the return of Mitchell Johnson to form and swinging ways, he believes that Australia do not have their other weapon - sledging - sharpened enough.

While KP attributed the banter to the heat of the moment and the weight of the traditional battle such as the Ashes, he did not believe that the verbal warfare on the field had gone over the top to warrant a reprimand. He, however, stated that the level of sledging was in keeping with the situation and the series.

Having said that, Pietersen believes not only is the present Australian cricket is short of talent ( which is the general surmise ) but also, that the present day Australian cricketers are no match for the cricketers of the recent past such as Shane Warne ( whose Lamborghini incidentally became the reason for KP's speeding fine ) and Glenn McGrath who he certainly feels are far more lethal and vicious when it comes to words, not just the cricket ball.

But by doing so, is Kevin Pietersen putting the Australians or blunting their notion that they have the England rattled by words as well as wickets or is he taunting them to up the ante? Judging by the numerous minute incidents within the match, should the intensity indeed become more, the match referee could be back in business.

Perhaps it is time to tone it down off the field. If the Australian Cricket Association has it their way, the Australian cricketers should reserve their choicest for the field where the results matter. Not that that would be bother KP, right?

But where is the Christmas spirit?