Sledging Smith a 'job well done': Anderson

While England have executed their bowling plans to Australia's batsmen astutely so far this summer, the tactic to target rival captain Steve Smith with sledging has worked wonders, according to veteran paceman James Anderson.

England threw everything including the kitchen sink at Smith in the first Magellan Ashes Test in Brisbane but were unable to dismiss the prolific right-hander, who went onto make an unbeaten 141 and be the difference in Australia's 10-wicket win.

A different approach was required in Adelaide and from ball one on Saturday, Anderson and his new-ball partner in crime Stuart Broad engaged Smith with a barrage of verbal barbs to which an animated Australia skipper bit back.

The conversations became so heated that umpire Aleem Dar had to separate the Englishmen and Smith, first Broad and then Anderson, before the Australian was bowled for 40 to Test rookie Craig Overton.

Speaking after play on day four with the second Test in Adelaide hanging in the balance with England 4-176 chasing 354 to win, Anderson said the tactic to rattle Smith with sledging went according to plan.

"I think it did work because he got him out quite cheaply," he said.

"I think picking the right time to do something like that, just trying to get someone out of their little bubble and unsettle them is a good thing.

"At that point in time Steve seemed more interested in having a chat with me and Stuart than actually focusing on his job.

"So that's a job well done from our point of view."

Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie said after day one– the day Smith took on the tag team of Anderson and Broad – that the aggressive verbal approach did unnerve the world's No.1-ranked Test batsman.

"They got into his head today," Gillespie said on Optus Sport's Stumps Show. "I don't remember in the first Test when he got 141 not out, Steve Smith saying boo to anyone out in the middle and he batted for a long time.

"Out there (today) within 15 minutes he's having verbal stoushes, so there's obviously a game plan from England to try to unsettle the Australian captain and I think they succeeded to an extent because he was going back at them pretty hard."

But Test great Ricky Ponting said it would take an "extreme level" of sledging to put off the laser-like focus of Smith.

"It looked like (the sledging) got him going a bit more today, I must admit," Ponting told cricket.com.au on Saturday.

"I watched him for 520 minutes last week in Brisbane and he never got outside his comfort zone at all.

"He was well and truly within his bubble and playing the way he wanted to play.

"But today a few times he looked a bit more animated and bit more up and about, but it didn't lead to him being dismissed at that time.

"He's a pretty strong character, he knows his game well and I think the verbal side of things it's going to have to go to a pretty extreme level if it's going to get inside his head."

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 Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (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