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Paine hits out at Stokes for 'cheap shot' at Warner

Australia Test captain is adamant that Warner did nothing wrong

Paine hits out at Stokes for 'cheap shot' at Warner PHOTO: AFP

Australia captain Tim Paine has blasted England all-rounder Ben Stokes for taking a "cheap shot" at David Warner, claiming he was using the controversial opening batsman to spike sales of his new book.

In his book, Stokes claims Warner's sledging motivated Stokes during his match-winning heroics in the third Ashes Test this year.

Stokes's incredible unbeaten 135 at Headingley steered England to a record run chase and thrilling one-wicket win to square the five-match series at 1-1.

"He just wouldn't shut up for most of my time out there," Stokes said of Warner. "I could accept it from just about any other opponent. Not from him, though."

"The changed man he was adamant he'd become, the one that hardly said boo to a goose and even went as far as claiming he had been re-nicknamed 'Humble' by his Australia team-mates, had disappeared," he added.

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Paine was adamant that Warner did nothing wrong said that it was a cheap shot by the England all-rounder.

"It is absolutely a cheap shot. I was obviously standing next to David the whole time at first slip and you are allowed to talk on the cricket field," Paine told reporters on Sunday in Brisbane ahead of a Test series against Pakistan."But by no means was he abusing him or sledging him.”

"It just seems to be a common trend in England that they like to use Davey's name to spike book sales," he added.