Booing returning Aussies will backfire, English paceman says

James Anderson has urged England cricket fans to stop jeering David Warner and Steve Smith and fears the boos may inspire the pair during the Ashes.

Smith and Warner have been on the receiving end of abuse from crowds during the World Cup following their year-long suspensions for ball tampering in South Africa.

With the Ashes series kicking off at a hostile Edgbaston on August 1, the Australian duo will almost certainly be on the receiving end of a hot reception when they come out to bat.

However, Anderson said the abuse may come back to hurt England and said criticism Stuart Broad cops from Australia crowds only serves to fire him up.

"Having played against them so many times before and knowing how they respond to that kind of thing, whether it's sledging on the field or booing from the crowd, they are going to up their performance," Anderson told Talksport Radio.

"Seeing Stuart Broad go to Australia, it made him more determined to do well when they booed him.

"I understand people won't like what they have done but it's in the past.

"I would rather it's not talked about, although I've got a feeling it's going to be talked about."

Anderson, who is England's highest ever wicket taker, believes on-field relations between international players have never been better as evidenced by Virat Kohli's reaction to Indian fans who were booing Smith at The Oval last week.

During the IPL Warner and England batsman Jonny Bairstow, who clashed on the field in the 2017 Ashes series, also formed a close friendship following their success when opening together for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

"With the amount of T20 cricket played around the world and with the Big Bash and the IPL, players get to know a lot more about one another outside of the cricket," he said.

"You have a different kind of relationship then when you go onto the field and play against them.

"It was more like that in the past, when cricket was more of a social game.

"In the 70s you'd have a rest day and go around to someone's house for a barbecue and you got to know people that way.

"For much of my career there has been so much cricket played, it's a case of hotel, ground, flight, hotel so you never get to socialise with opponents so it's nice to see that change a bit."

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