Cricket World Cup 2019: Justin Langer tells boo boys to pipe down over Steve Smith, David Warner

After the hostile reception in Southampton last weekend, Aussie coach Justin Langer tells fans to ‘show some respect’ to Steve Smith and David Warner.

Steve Smith scored a brilliant against the Poms in last weekend’s warm-up match.

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Australia has spent 12 months trying to earn back the respect of the cricketing world and now coach Justin Langer wants the favour returned to Steve Smith and David Warner.

Warner, pending his fitness, and Smith will both bat for Australia in Saturday night’s World Cup opener for the first time since disgracing themselves in “Sandpaper-gate” in Cape Town 434 days ago.

English fans booed the pair and chanted “cheat, cheat, cheat” in Southampton last week and Australia has held several meetings to discuss handling the hostile treatment.

Steve Smith scored a brilliant against the Poms in last weekend’s warm-up match.

“They’re human beings, that’s the truth. I’m a dad and I’ve got kids and a lot of time the players feel like my kids,” Langer said.

“When you see that happen you feel for them personally. They’re going to have to have thick skin.

“We have talked about earning respect. I think it is really important that people show some respect as well.

“Because they are humans, they are really good cricketers. They made a mistake. They have paid the price for it – big price, actually. I feel for them as people more than anything else.”

Langer said he would be “disappointed” if the crowds boo his batsmen.

“It obviously hurts because I have got an emotional attachment, and a personal attachment, to our players. But it is never a good look, is it, when that happens.

“After the experience of the other day at (Southampton), I think they have got a pretty good idea what to expect.

David Warner faces a fitness test before being cleared to play.

“You can talk about it as much as you like, you can put strategies in place to make sure they deal with it, but no human likes it.

“That is the truth.”

Australia recorded no code of conduct charges in the past season for the first time since 2011/12, underpinning its improved behaviour.

“Hopefully we have shown in our actions over the past 12 months that we’re certainly doing everything we possibly can to ensure we earn respect,” Langer said.

“We’ve talked about making Australians proud of us again and that is really important to us.

“But also earning respect and, regardless of what has happened in the past, we are looking to earn respect with our behaviour on and off the cricket field.

Justin Langer has gone into bat for his star duo.

“That’s as significant now as it has ever been.”

Smith and Warner re-joined their Australian teammates in Brisbane 30 days ago and have since batted in five practice matches, with Smith averaging 131.3 and punishing England with a match-winning century.

“I was never worried about their batting. I was more worried about them personally and how they were going to come back in,” Langer said.

There is a growing feeling in England that Australia – which lost 5-0 over there last year – poses the biggest threat to the host nation’s World Cup chances.

Langer’s team has won 13 out of its past 14 games (eight ODIs and five out of six practice matches) as well as 39 out of its past 42 World Cup matches.

“I can’t remember a group of players who have had so much laughter, and that’s a really good sign for me,” Langer said.

“As a player and coach that camaraderie is crucial in great teams. It’s the glue that keeps thing together particularly the pressure comes on.

“There is a lot of strong camaraderie in the group.”

Originally published as Cricket World Cup 2019: Justin Langer tells boo boys to pipe down over Steve Smith, David Warner