Justin Langer has warned his team not to get into a war of words with the Barmy Army ahead of David Warner and Steve Smith’s return to the Australia side, describing this advice as “the biggest lesson of his sporting career”.
Langer expects the duo to be the target of the famed supporters group during the World Cup and the Ashes series this summer as the pair return from their one-year bans for their role in the ball tampering scandal last year.
The Australia coach recounted his experience as a target of the travelling fans during the 2002 Melbourne Ashes Test. Langer criticised the Barmy Army’s behaviour after they had been calling no-balls as Brett Lee bowled, before the group responded by mocking the height of the former opener.
Langer remains positive ahead of a challenging English summer. “There’s no tension, honestly,” he adds. “It’s been a big build-up to it. It’s a bit like facing fast bowling, isn’t it? You worry about it until you get out there and it’s not as bad as you thought it was.”
