Joe happy to bat away Warner's early Ashes digs

JOE ROOT will cross paths with David Warner this evening vowing to keep riding the crest of a wave after the Australian’s “surfboard” jibe.

- By Mike Walters

And England’s most prolific batsman of all time insists his search for an elusive Test hundred Down Under this winter will not be distracted by phoney war ablutions.

Former Aussie opener Warner's preemptive barb that Root is allegedly susceptible to being trapped lbw by paceman Josh Hazlewood was as transparent as your double glazing.

Warner said: “Hazlewood tends to have his number quite a lot. He will have to take the surfboard off his front leg.”

Root’s former England teammate Stuart Broad fired back on X, saying: “Just for clarity, Hazlewood has got Rooty lbw in Test cricket three times.”