Aussie beer company turns on cricketers with savage ball-tampering sledge

In the ultimate Ashes betrayal, ‘Aussie’ beer company Fosters has take a swipe at the country’s ball-tampering scandal.

In a newly-released TV ad in the UK, a British man makes a long-distance call to Australia for some advice about beer.

Two Aussie blokes named Brad and Dan help ‘Harry from Abergavenny’ decide which beer to serve a guest at his house.

But halfway through the ad, one of the Aussie men starts rubbing some sandpaper on a cricket ball.

The commercial by the Adam & Eve/DDB agency is part of the “Good Call” series, which features Brad and Dan in all of them.

Fosters has long been much more popular in the UK than Australia, despite it originating here.

The beer was first brewed in Melbourne in the 1880s, but is now owned by international group Anheuser-Busch In Bev, a company that took over South African brewing conglomerate SAB Miller in 2006.

War of words

It’s not the first shot fired in the sledging war before the Ashes.

The Barmy Army took the first proper dig recently by photoshopping ‘cheats’ across David Warner’s jersey in a photo series.

The official social media account of the Barmy Army fuelled the fire early with a cheeky photoshop job.

The images feature Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc and David Warner in the jersey launch for Australia’s World Cup outfit.

But photoshopped into both Lyon and Starc’s images are roles of sandpaper.

And across Warner’s chest, instead of the word ‘Australia’, is the word ‘cheats’.

Warner and Steve Smith recently returned from 12-month bans for their roles in the sandpaper scandal in March 2018.

Smith has been barred from holding leadership positions for a further 12 months, while Warner is no longer eligible to serve in any such role.

Both Smith and Warner made their unofficial return in the Aussie colours in two World Cup warm-up matches against New Zealand two weeks ago.

Emotional support

Australian coach Justin Langer said the team had made the mental health of the pair a priority as they prepare to face what could be months of abuse from English cricket fans during the World Cup.

Langer said it was important to remember that Smith and Warner are ‘human’ as they return to top-flight cricket.

“What we’ve got to understand is that they’re human beings as well,” Langer said.

“There’s not too many I’ve met in my life who like being booed or heckled or disliked.

“We’re going to have to care for them, we’re going to have to put an arm around them and make sure they’re going ok.

“(Crowd abuse) may heat up, but it won’t be any hotter than it was 12 months ago, so the boys are well prepared.

“We’re expecting to come here and to face the fire and we’re ready for that.”

The Aussies will play a practice game against the West Indies on Wednesday (AEST) as Langer looks to ensure the side is ready to make a push for the World Cup.

Australia has won four of the last five World Cups, dating back to 1999.

with AAP