Grant Elliott doesn't have an issue with the current war of words occurring across the Tasman in the Ashes series, as long as it stays on the field.
The retired former Blackcaps all-rounder has been amused by the ongoing banter between Australia and England, but stressed the need for both teams to keep the talk out of the media and public.
The 38-year-old was critical of Australian captain Steve Smith and opening batsmen Cameron Bancroft for bringing an off-field incident into the public eye.
Bancroft was involved in an alteration with England's Johnny Bairstow in Perth before the tour started. The wicket-keeper reportedly head-butted Bancroft upon meeting him inside a local bar.
Bairstow brushed it off as misunderstood, while Bancroft described it as weird in front of the press, sitting side-by-side with his amused captain.
Elliott thinks the pair crossed the line.
"They knew the implications of what the press would do with what they were saying, how they were reacting to the incident," Elliott told RadioLIVE
"You should sort cricket issues out with bat or ball, not with your mouth."
Speaking to Andrew Gourdie and Jim Kayes on Sunday Sport, Elliott said he was personally never shy of a word or two on the field, but feels sledging should be restricted to cricketing ability rather than anything personal.
"It's a way of getting you off your own game and stop thinking about the next ball.
"I was always taught you don't get personal with the intended target. It should purely be around them as a player, trying to get them off the focus of batting.
"I've always seen sledging as a compliment. When you get sledged you are on top, which is obviously not the case with England at the moment.
"Their copping it while losing - badly - both in the media and on the park."
"The Hairy Javelin", as he was dubbed so fondly during the 2015 World Cup, had a simple formula in assessing if what he was saying on the park was crossing the line.
"You need to remember that kids are watching. When it's there for children to emulate and follow then that's not acceptable.
"I would always ask myself - if my child saw or heard what I was doing, would I want them to emulate that?
"That's a good way to judge."
He believes all cricketers would be wise to adopt a similar method to keep within the spirit of the game.
Newshub.
