Bouncer barrage has been OK: Smith

Steve Smith has dismissed a plea for umpires to protect England's tailenders from an ongoing bouncer barrage, saying Australia's Ashes rivals would do exactly the same – if they had faster bowlers.

Former England captain Mike Atherton argued in UK newspaper The Times that officials should better enforce rules about intimidatory fast bowling in the showpiece Test series.

Umpires can warn a Test paceman twice before ordering him out of the attack, should they be alarmed by the deliberate bowling of short-pitched deliveries that are intended to – or likely to – inflict physical injury given the skill of the batsman.

Australia have made no secret of their plan to pepper the tourists' tail with short stuff throughout this summer.

The ploy has been successful. The hosts hold an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-Test series, with England's tailenders looking uncomfortable while hardly troubling the scorers.

"It's a bit over the top," Smith said, when asked about Atherton's column. "No doubt, if they had the kind of pace that our bowlers can generate, they'd probably do the same thing.

"We were (always) going to bowl a lot of short stuff to those guys, much like we did back in 2013."

Jimmy Anderson, England's No.11 batsman, asked umpires at the Gabba whether Australia had breached the rarely enforced Law during the opening Test.

England management also raised the issue four years ago, when Mitchell Johnson terrorised their team with chin music throughout a whitewash.

Johnson shared Smith's dim view of Atherton's argument, calling on England's tail to "learn how to bat".

"I'd be very disappointed if it got changed. Because wickets are flat in general and the bowlers need some sort of assistance," Johnson told foxsports.com.au.

"How far do you go? "If they take everything away from the bowlers, we're just going to see bowling machines.

"If I was going to dish it out, I had to be able to take it. Even if I wasn't dishing it out, it's a part of the game."

England's problem is that none of their bowlers is capable of regularly hitting the 145kph mark, let alone breaking the 150kph barrier.

It is why express paceman Mark Wood, who is still building fitness after an injury-marred year, has remained with the Test squad after touring Australia with the England Lions.

Wood could potentially be called up for dead rubbers at the MCG and SCG, while leg-spinner Mason Crane is also in the mix as the visitors attempt to salvage something from a miserable campaign.

Smith, a promising tennis junior before concentrating on cricket, was taken out of his comfort zone while having a hit on Thursday with Canada's Milos Raonic at Melbourne Park.

Smith returned a couple of serves from former world No.3 Raonic but weaved out of the way when one was directed at his body.

"Now I know how Jimmy Anderson feels," he quipped.

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird.

England Test squad: Joe Root (c), James Anderson (vc), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Tom Curran, Ben Foakes, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Chris Woakes.

First Test Australia won by 10 wickets. Scorecard

Second Test Australia won by 120 runs (Day-Night). Scorecard

Third Test Australia won by an innings and 41 runs. Scorecard

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21