I was 'stitched up': Jonny Bairstow

Jonny Bairstow believes he was "stitched up" by Australia over his 'headbutt' greeting for Cameron Bancroft - which he describes simply as a case of "boys being boys".

Bairstow found himself in the Ashes headlines for the wrong reasons when Australian opener Bancroft told his team, and then the world, of the moment the England wicketkeeper chose the unusual method to introduce himself in a Perth bar at the start of the tour six weeks ago.

As Joe Root's team return to Perth, 2-0 down already before the third Test, Bairstow has spoken publicly about the incident for the first time since a brief statement after the Magellan Ashes series opener in Brisbane.

It was there that Australia made capital out of Bairstow's faux pas, reminding him of it in the middle and Bancroft then conducting a comedic press conference after the chat had been picked up by broadcasters on stump microphone.

Bairstow insists he was never concerned, however, and neither were England - even though team management imposed a tour curfew of midnight in response.

Writing in his column for the Daily Mail, Bairstow said: "A headbutt, to me, is something that has malicious intent.

"The reality is that it was nothing.

"(It was) boys being boys ... there was minimal contact, I can tell you that."

He admits he was taken aback by the fuss which erupted several weeks later.

"Did I feel as if I had been stitched up? Yes I did in many ways.

"But at the same time, I honestly never thought of it as anything to worry about.

"I knew I hadn't done anything wrong and, more importantly, the team and management knew that too.

"Australia, as they have admitted, were trying to use it to get under my skin."

Soon afterwards, he holed out at third-man as England lost the first Test by 10 wickets.

He added: "It did get to me a bit when they started sledging me, because I didn't know what they were talking about.

"But I can honestly say the shot I got out to in the second innings had nothing to do with it.

"I (just) played a bad shot."

2017-18 International Fixtures

Magellan Ashes Series

Australia Test squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Jackson Bird, Chadd Sayers.

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). Tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Tickets

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