Friday 3 July 2015 19:59, UK
ECB chairman Colin Graves has called for a sledging-free Ashes series between England and Australia.
Players from both teams have said it is inevitable that sledging will occur during the five-match series, which gets under way in Cardiff on Wednesday, but Graves thinks that kind of verbal abuse is unnecessary.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: “It would be nice to see it without sledging. I don’t think it’s needed, I don’t think it’s required. At the end of the day, everybody plays it hard and everybody plays to win.
“It’s a game of cricket, it’s not life or death, but let’s play in a good spirit.
“It’s down to the umpires on the pitch to make sure they control it properly to be honest and I’m sure they will.”
Graves is also confident of an England victory and when asked for a prediction, the Yorkshireman replied: “We’re gonna win, of course we are.”
Watch every ball of the first Investec Test live on our dedicated channel, Sky Sports Ashes, from 10am on Wednesday.
