England captain Alastair Cook holds his head after Sri Lanka held on for a draw in the first Test. Source: IAN KINGTON / AFP
SHANE Warne always was good at tormenting his victims until they snapped in frustration and played a shot they would regret — and he still is.
England captain Alastair Cook has finally bitten back at the Australian legend after three years of heavy criticism of his leadership skills, which Warne sees as manifestly inadequate.
Cook has asked for "something to be done" about the sledging, which is usually aired in Warne's column in the English newspaper, The Telegraph, and his commentary on Sky Sports.
It was a constant feature of last year's Ashes series in Australia, in which Cook and his team were humiliated 5-0.
Cook admits he has taken it personally which might be seen by some as a sign of weakness. Others might applaud his willingness to hit back at unfair sniping.
He cracked it emotionally in an interview with the BBC's cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew following last weekend's first Test against Sri Lanka, which England failed to win by one wicket with tardy over-rates an issue that threatened to see Cook punished.
"Something needs to be done because for the three years that I've been England captain I have, in my eyes, been criticised for a hell of a lot of that time," he said.
"Yes, when we lose games of cricket as captain you will be criticised. But I've also won a lot of games of cricket for England and more one-day games than anybody else as England captain.
"I've won an Ashes, I've won in India away, which I'm very proud of.
"So to be criticised for three years, totally, with those results, I find quite hard to take, to be honest."
Asked whether he thought the criticism was personal, he said: "Yeah, I think it is. It probably won't change anything, which is sad."
Warne, who is believed to be on a sea cruise and will not be part of the Sky commentary team for the second Test in Leeds, did not respond immediately.
Before the first match, England's first Test since the team and backroom staff was rejigged after the whitewash in Australia, Warne wrote that he hoped Cook would not revert back to his "boring" ways.
His post-match column was only mildly critical of the timing of Cook's declarations.
He will probably be delighted to have got through his man's defences so comprehensively.
In March, he denied he was simply acting as an agent provocateur to assist Australian and his close mate Michael Clarke.
Writing in The Telegraph he said then: "I am not an Australian cheerleader, I call it as I see it.
"I wanted Alastair Cook to captain well, but I saw how defensive he was when England were winning and thought that if Australia just improved a little then results could be reversed.
"I was proved correct as England made so many poor decisions in the field. Some of it was basic stuff. For example when Australia needs four runs to win at the MCG you do not have six people on the fence."
ron.reed@news.com.au
Twitter: @Reedrw
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