LONDON: Australia turned down an invitation from England to share a post-match beer after the tourists’ humbling loss in the first Ashes Test in Cardiff, paceman James Anderson said.
Captain Alastair Cook was rebuffed by Australia skipper Clarke after England’s 169-run win on Saturday, though the match was played in good spirit.
Anderson said England and New Zealand had shared a drink after each hard-fought match of their drawn Test series earlier in the summer and Cook had wanted to continue the ritual with Clarke’s team.
“It was Cooky’s idea and he went and asked them after the game,” Anderson told British media.
“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.
“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.
“It didn’t matter whether we won or lost, we did it and it’s something we want to carry on doing.”
Win, lose or draw, Australia and England once shared a drink after the final day’s play of each Test but Ricky Ponting put paid to the tradition after his team lost the 2005 series.
INP