Ashes: James Anderson questions if Australia bowling was 'dangerous'

Jake Ball was twice dismissed by short-pitched deliveries during the first Test

England seamer James Anderson asked the umpire if Australia's bowling was dangerous during the first Ashes Test.

Anderson, England's number 11, was batting when number 10 Jake Ball received five successive bouncers in the second innings in Brisbane.

Under the laws of the game, umpires are allowed to intervene if they deem bowling to be dangerous.

"I mentioned it to umpire Marais Erasmus, but he didn't think it was too bad," Anderson, 35, told BBC Sport.

"We have to plan to get a barrage, which we are doing."

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The second Test of the five-match series begins at 03:30 GMT on Saturday in Adelaide.

In both innings at the Gabba, England's tail were blown away by the hostility of the Australia pace attack, much like they were in the 5-0 whitewash four years ago.

Ball faced one bouncer from Mitchell Starc and four from Pat Cummins, the last of which he fended to fly slip and was caught for one.

Australia, who must win the series to regain the Ashes, completed a 10-wicket win on the fifth morning.

What do the laws say?

Law 41.6.1 of the Laws of Cricket reads: "The bowling of short-pitched deliveries is dangerous if the bowler's end umpire considers that, taking into consideration the skill of the striker, by their speed, length, height and direction they are likely to inflict physical injury on him/her.

"The fact that the striker is wearing protective equipment shall be disregarded."

If the umpire decides the bowling is dangerous, he can call a no-ball, warn the bowler and, if he offends again, remove him from the attack.

At the time, BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said: "The treatment dished out to Jake Ball - five deliveries, all aimed at his head - should have been called intimidatory by the umpires."

Anderson said on Thursday: "I don't know what constitutes dangerous bowling. It's the umpire's personal take on it.

"I was batting with Jake in the second innings and he got bowled two short balls from Cummins that went over the shoulder. There was a third very close and wasn't given and I questioned when does it get dangerous.

"Marais said he was happy with it at the time. It's down to the umpires."

South African Erasmus and Pakistan's Aleem Dar were the on-field umpires for the first Test.

Australia pace bowler Starc said after the second day at the Gabba that he "can't wait" to bowl on quicker surfaces.

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Analysis - 'It can be very frightening'

Former South Africa fast bowler Allan Donald on BBC Radio 5 live:

There's definitely a line you can't overstep. Erasmus could have stepped in and said: 'Enough is enough.'

It brings me back to a game we played in 1997-98, when Brett Lee bowled me four bouncers in a row. That's their way of dealing with the tail. They made a statement they're going to come hard at the tail.

That's the Aussie way - they've always done that. Steve Waugh put Brett Lee in charge of demolishing tails and it was pretty mean, and intimidating batting at nine, 10 and 11.

That tactic will never go away as far as Australia are concerned. There needs to be control in terms of how to say: 'You can't bowl three, four bouncers in a row, never mind five.'

It can be very frightening down there. I was amazed Erasmus didn't step in and say: 'That's enough.'

Dawid Malan fell on the hook in the first innings, sparking England's collapse from 246-4 to 302 all out

'The Ashes is a soap opera'

England came under scrutiny following the first Test after wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow was accused of 'headbutting' Australia's Cameron Bancroft in a Perth bar at the start of the tour.

Although both described the incident as without "malice", it came after England all-rounder Ben Stokes was arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm in September.

With England's players and management under a midnight curfew, Stokes signing for New Zealand side Canterbury and questions over what players say to each other on the field, Anderson said he had never experienced an Ashes tour "as bad of this" in terms of the "soap opera" on and off the field.

"The Ashes always seem to bring things up off the field," said Anderson, who is on his fourth tour of Australia.

"We expected there to be a little bit of something extra going on, not just the cricket, but it's down to us to really focus on the cricket.

"We're here to win an Ashes series. We're not bothered about a war of words with the Australians. We just want to outperform them."

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News of the Bairstow 'headbutt' emerged after comments made by some Australia players were heard on the stump microphone.

Australia captain Steve Smith admitted his side used the tactic to unsettle Bairstow, while batsman Peter Handscomb said Australia's sledging in Brisbane was some of the "smartest" they have employed.

"It's a part of the game," said Handscomb. "It has been for a long time and will continue to be.

"If we can keep being smart with our sledges, if it opens up weaknesses, then we'll be pretty happy with it."

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