England will continue to invite Australia for post-match drinks despite Michael Clarke snub following first Ashes Test

  • Alastair Cook invited Australia into England dressing room after first Test
  • But Michael Clarke was resistant to the idea following 169-run defeat
  • England had drinks with New Zealand following each Test during series
  • Ashes series in 2005 also saw England and Australia together after Tests 
  • Jimmy Anderson admits: 'I don't know why they didn't come in'
  • Ashes 2015: CLICK HERE to follow day one of the second Test 

By Paul Newman

Published: 13:06 EST, 13 July 2015 | Updated: 06:14 EST, 16 July 2015

England will carry on inviting the Australians into their dressing room for a beer and a chat after each Test of the Ashes even though Michael Clarke refused their offer to join them in Cardiff.

Alastair Cook attempted to carry on where they left off against New Zealand by extending the hand of friendship to the old enemy after their 169-run victory in the first Investec Test but Australia were resistant to the idea.

The Australians joined England after each Test for a drink during the 2005 Ashes but Ricky Ponting decided afterwards that the sides had been too friendly and reverted to just socialising with the opposition at the end of a series.

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Jimmy Anderson at the premiere of 'Warriors' in London, a documentary about a cricket team made up of Maasai Warriors in Kenya

Jimmy Anderson at the premiere of 'Warriors' in London, a documentary about a cricket team made up of Maasai Warriors in Kenya

Anderson poses alongside Sonyanga Ole Ngais, a member of the Maasai Warriors Cricket team

Anderson poses alongside Sonyanga Ole Ngais, a member of the Maasai Warriors Cricket team

Anderson and Ngais, who is using the film to raise social awareness, pose with director Barney Douglas

Anderson and Ngais, who is using the film to raise social awareness, pose with director Barney Douglas

Anderson and his wife Daniella at the premiere, which saw the Maasai side play at a tournament at Lord's

Anderson and his wife Daniella at the premiere, which saw the Maasai side play at a tournament at Lord's

England captain Alastair Cook (left) posing with the Ashes urn and his Australian counterpart Michael Clarke

England captain Alastair Cook (left) posing with the Ashes urn and his Australian counterpart Michael Clarke

Clarke, as revealed in Sportsmail on Sunday, was not prepared to go against what has become tradition and suspend hostilities temporarily with four Tests remaining.

That will not deter England, who have bought totally into the idea of playing the game in a better spirit after locking horns with Brendon McCullum and his pioneering New Zealanders earlier this season.

‘It was Cooky’s idea and he went and asked them after the game,’ said Jimmy Anderson as he reflected on England’s perfect start to the Ashes. ‘We were all happy to do it. I don’t know why they didn’t come in. Maybe they wanted to carry on doing things their way. You’ll have to ask them. It’s their prerogative.’

It was McCullum who took the initiative after New Zealand had been defeated in the first Test at Lord’s by leading his team into the England dressing room to congratulate them on their success.

‘We had a beer with the New Zealand team after both Tests and we found it an enjoyable thing to do after a hard Test,’ said Anderson. ‘It didn’t matter whether we won or lost, we did it and it’s something we want to carry on doing.’

It will clearly take Australia and gnarled veterans like Brad Haddin a bit longer to be convinced by the new atmosphere and spirit that much of world cricket is being played in but it was noticeable there was no sledging at Cardiff.

England skipper Cook invited the Australian team into their dressing room for a drink after the first Test

England skipper Cook invited the Australian team into their dressing room for a drink after the first Test

But Clarke declined the invitation from the England captain until after the series has finished

But Clarke declined the invitation from the England captain until after the series has finished

The only hint of anything even vaguely against the spirit of the game came when David Warner and Nathan Lyon decided to block Ben Stokes superstition of sweeping the crease with his bat at the end of an over but even that failed to provoke a flashpoint with England’s volatile all-rounder.

‘The spirit was different from our point of view because we weren’t fussed about trying to start any battles,’ said Anderson. ‘We were really focused on what we were going to do and when you rack up runs generally the opposition are quiet whoever you’re playing against.’

England’s leading wicket-taker has been their principal aggressor in the past and clashed with Clarke in Brisbane at the start of the last Ashes.

But his clash with Ravindra Jadeja last year led to Anderson re-evaluating how he wants to go about his cricket and he is perfectly happy to remain aggressive but quiet now.

‘I really enjoyed the game in Cardiff and we had a lot of fun,’ he said. ‘It was a new ball wicket in terms of getting nicks and after that we had to get funky with the field and we had a lot of enjoyment doing that.’

Anderson was speaking in Soho at the premiere of the film Warriors that follows the progress of a cricket team of Maasai warriors. He leant his support to the project and has been involved as executive producer.

The Maasai guys are trying to use cricket to change the way things are done because their elders have always done things a certain way,’ said Anderson. ‘They feel by coming over to England they can use cricket to promote change.

Cook shaking hands with New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum at the end of the series earlier this summer

Cook shaking hands with New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum at the end of the series earlier this summer

McCullum led the New Zealand side into extending the hand of friendship to England after each Test

McCullum led the New Zealand side into extending the hand of friendship to England after each Test

‘Cricket has been very kind to me in the 14 years I’ve been a professional and seeing these guys passion for the game is eye-opening. They have poor facilities and some travel four hours on a bike just to practice. It reminded me of why I started cricket. I really like the story and I’m sure some good will come from it.’

Now it is back to business with the start of the build-up to Thursday’s second Test at Lord’s. ‘We’ve got a real good feeling about the dressing room at the minute and we have to use the momentum that comes from that,’ said Anderson. ‘We know they will come back strong and we have to be ready for what they throw at us. We do that by trying to repeat our performance from the first game and by taking the positive option.

‘There might be times where we don’t do it because we’re still progressing as a team but we’ll keep working very hard on that.’

 

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