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Warne advises silent treatment for Smith

Leg-spin legend predicts fiery contest at the WACA but advises tourists that mum's the word when it comes to the skipper

Shane Warne has predicted the on-field exchanges between Australia and England could "boil over" in the third Test in Perth, though he has advised the tourists against further confrontations with the world's top-ranked batsman, Steve Smith.

No stranger to the art of mental disintegration in his playing days, Warne believes the edgy banter of the first two Tests could overflow into something else with the sudden-death nature of the contest for England at the WACA Ground, beginning next Thursday.

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"At the moment while the byplay has at times been very heated from both teams, it's mostly been accompanied by a smile and been conducted in the right spirit," Warne wrote in his News Ltd column.

"But I have a feeling the banter could boil over in Perth. With the Ashes on the line and the Poms staring down the barrel of a five-nil whitewash, the emotion could well reach fever pitch."

Central to many of the on-field scenes has been Smith, who England looked to have deliberately targeted verbally in Adelaide – an observation confirmed by paceman Jimmy Anderson, who suggested the tactic worked given the Australian's relatively meagre returns of 40 and six.

But Warne was less sure, with experience telling him that the world's best batsmen have no issue with being provoked; to the contrary, sometimes it can make them play better.

"I'm not sure I'd be sledging him in Perth," the champion leg-spinner wrote of Smith. "If I was England the best thing now would be to not say a word to him when he walks out, just ignore him and give him the silent treatment.

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"It's hard to split Virat Kohli and Smith for the title of No.1 Test batsmen in the world at the moment and the best players like the battle and are super competitive.

"Engaging him in banter could just ignite the concentration within and lead to a big hundred for the Aussie skipper.

"It's a bit like when the Australian teams that I played in started sledging Brian Lara – we learnt after the seventh or eighth ton that it wasn't a great plan."

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Warne also analysed the meaning of 'sledging' and the way in which it has been substituted simply for abuse in the modern game.

"For mine, the art of sledging is all about unsettling your opponent to the point where they lose concentration and focus," he explained.

"It's about being subtle, clever and humorous rather than loud bravado. It's the little word here or there, often when your opponent least expects it, that can really touch a nerve.

"Sledging is about making a batsman think of something other than what he should be.

"Taking an example from another sport, it's like arriving at a par three with a green protected by water and recalling to your partner about the time he 'sliced one into the drink on the right'. (It) just gets you thinking.

"Joe Root? The Aussies in Perth on Thursday might chat to him about his issues with turning fifties into hundreds. That and how his side is 'massively still in this series', as he said on Wednesday night."

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 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