Ben Duckett pouring a drink over me was silly but trivial - questions over our team culture are unfair

The incident with Ben Duckett was not malicious and was a bit of a non-event but we understand that in this climate we have to be smarter in the future.

The frustrating thing is that what was a pretty silly incident would have gone unnoticed before but now puts an unfair question mark over our culture.

We have been working really hard and every now and then on a tour like this you need a release. We don’t shout about the things we do behind the scenes. We are not those type of people but, for example, five players from the squad have today gone to see an England fan who is terminally ill and can’t come and watch the Test match. That sort of thing is not reported, which is fine, but is a fairer representation of this group of players rather than a couple of minor incidents in bars that have been blown out of all proportion.

Having said that, we are all aware that from now on even a minor incident will be seized upon. There is also a bigger picture. The ECB have their sponsors and we have a job as role models to the next generation of cricketers who play this game so we have to stay away from silly things that can be misconstrued.

I know Australia will use the Duckett incident as a way of goading us, or taking the mickey. Fine. It will probably be funnier than what they have spouted at me so far in this series. They jump on anything to have a go at you so I am expecting a bit of lip. I have no problem with that.

The players have moved on already. Our main focus is getting back in the series. That is all everyone is talking about. The meeting we just had was all about bowling plans, batting plans and how we see ourselves performing in this Test. Nothing is going to distract us from winning here.

As a bowling group we have been buoyed by dismissing Australia cheaply in Adelaide. We know the lengths we have to bowl here, which is a bit fuller, almost an English-style length.

You have to keep an eye on the wind at the Waca and we chatted about that in the team meeting. When Mitchell Johnson played against us here he swapped ends when the wind changed direction and he sensed it would suddenly start swinging. You have to keep the ball in a good condition at the Waca as well because if you can get any sort of sideways movement it can be a great help when allied to the bounce.

The bounce can be built up too much. It is not as excessive as people believe. Bowling here all depends on whether it swings. If it doesn’t swing it can be an unbelievable place to bat. You can stand on top of the bounce and know you will get full reward for your shots. But if is swinging you want batsmen driving because the nicks will carry. Finding that right length at the right time is the challenge.

I am quite stingy when it comes to giving runs away. I don’t like half-volleys being driven for four. I like bowling the shorter length and then throwing in the odd fuller one to induce the drive and nick. In Adelaide in the first innings I probably bowled too short. They were not going anywhere at two an over but we were not taking wickets. We should have bowled a touch fuller. It was an oversight from the players on the field but also from the coaches who could have had an input too, which is frustrating.

In Adelaide we tried to get in Steve Smith’s bubble. In the first innings I sensed he was more bothered about what Stuart and I were saying to him, which was not very interesting.

We knew he was focussing on us because between overs he was supposed to go and talk to Usman Khawaja. He was waiting for the chat from his captain but Smith ignored him and went back to his own end because he wanted to speak to us instead. We knew we were on top.

Essentially we did not say a word to him second innings. We just bowled really well at him and that was enough.

There is no set plan with Smith. It all depends what sort of rhythm you are in. I felt staying around the wicket while it was swinging was a good plan. He bats out of the box so you have to think out of the box. When he is moving around on the crease he is trying to make you bowl to the areas he wants. We have tried to set funky fields to counteract his unusual batting. Some have worked, some not, but we are getting somewhere. As a bowler, once you get him out a couple of times you realise he is not superhuman. You realise ‘I can bowl to this guy’ and that makes a big difference.

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