Australian cricketers slammed as "classless" in boozy Ashes celebration

The spirit of cricket, Australian style, is alive and well.

The Aussies have reportedly mocked England after retaining the Ashes with a fine victory in Manchester.

Their boozy on-pitch celebrations two hours after sealing the win included a chant: "Who did we beat? England. How did we do it? Easy."

A Sun report branded Australia and their batting superstar Steve Smith "classless".

Smith is said to have mocked England tailender Jack Leach by wiping a pair of glasses and batting left-handed.

This was in reference to the bespectacled Leach's solitary run during Ben Stokes amazing match-winning innings at Headlingley in the previous test. The bespectacled Leach had re-enacted the run on video, which went viral.

The Aussie players also yelled out "come back Smithy" and "no ball" in reference to Leach having overstepped the mark at Old Trafford, costing him Smith's wicket.

The Sun reported that the Aussies serenaded their captain Tim Paine singing "Same old Painey, always winning", a direct swipe at the English crowds who have used a similar chant in reference to the sandpaper cheating scandal which continues to dog the tourists.

An Australian team spokesperson was quoted as claiming Smith was mimicking former Australian opener Chris Rogers, a left-hander who bats in glasses and is now a coach.

An Australian newspaper also made the claim, although there was no reason given why Smith would be impersonating a former Aussie cricketer during an Ashes celebration.

The vociferous Australian fast bowling great Glenn McGrath was a part of the celebrations, which included spinner Nathan Lyon attacking the media in a speech described as "foul-mouthed" and leading the team song.

Australian fans claimed that any English outrage was hypocritical, given the way England and Leach celebrated their victory in Leeds.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission