I never asked umpires to step in: Anderson

Tailender James Anderson was effectively told by umpires to "get in the nets and practice" but denied there had been any complaints from within the England camp about Australia's short-ball tactics.

Anderson was struck on the helmet in the third Magellan Ashes Test in Perth, a blow that left him with a "slightly sore jaw for a couple of days".

The England veteran says the tail "need to get better at playing (bouncers)".

"I have actually chatted to the umpires about it during this series and they say at Test level you should be able to handle short balls. That is a clear message to get in the nets and practice against bouncers," Anderson wrote in a column for UK newspaper The Telegraph.

"I was not quizzing the umpires or asking them to stop it happening. I was just interested in their opinion.

"I guess we just need to get better at playing them. I have no problem with that. It is part and parcel of the game.

"When I was hit on the side of the head it was the first ball of my innings and I just did not get into a great position to play the shot."

Former England captain Mike Atherton penned a column last week that called on umpires to better enforce the laws on intimidatory bowling during the series.

Aussie quick Mitchell Starc, who will miss the Boxing Day Test due to a foot injury, said Australia's tactics won't change at the MCG.

"It's Test match cricket, isn't it?" Starc said in response to Atherton's column.

"I'm pretty sure our guys have copped enough bouncers and we haven't whinged about it yet. As far as I know, our bowlers will keep bouncing their batters.

"The plan to the tail has always been the same: be very aggressive, bowl fast, get up in their nose and have them jumping around. We're pretty happy with how our plans are going ... and hopefully by the end of the week it's four-nil."

Fellow quick Pat Cummins, who struck Anderson on the helmet at the WACA, agreed with his pace partner.

"We think that's our best chance of getting them out," Cummins said. "They're all pretty competent batters. Stuart Broad's got a Test match hundred and Anderson's got an 80-odd.

"We know we're going to cop it as well so we spend lots of time in the nets working on it.

"I've copped about 50 so far this series so we get back as much as we dish out."

Anderson said England too would continue to bounce tailenders.

"We have bounced tailenders in this series and at other teams," he wrote.

"The only time I think umpires should step in is if it is clear that a player cannot cope with them. Then the umpires should step in more.

"We know it will not stop in this series and playing the short ball better is one challenge for the final two Tests when we need to show some pride and prove to people we are not a walkover as a team."

England's all-time leading wicket-taker added he did not think it was the time to blood new players, such as leg-spinner Mason Crane, and increase the risk of another series whitewash.

"The series has been closer than the scoreline looks. We feel like we have played some good cricket at times and want to give a fair reflection of ourselves by producing that form across a whole match," Anderson wrote.

"It is also important we start trying to build towards the next Ashes series in 18 months, correct the things that have gone wrong this series so far and improve on what we have done well.

"I don't see trying to blood a few players in the next few weeks and potentially losing 5-0 is the way to go. We want to restore pride and dignity and you do that by playing our strongest XI."

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