Australia's premier fast bowler Glenn McGrath has returned fire on South African batsman Graeme Smith, saying Smith was not the innocent victim of sledging on the cricket field he claimed to be. McGrath said he was disappointed to read Smith's comments in a magazine in which he accused the Australians of verbally abusing him during his Test debut at Cape Town in March. McGrath told Australia's Channel 9 that Smith gave as good as he got in the verbal battle.

"The Australian way of playing is what happens out in the middle stays out there," said McGrath, "and he wasn't Mr Clean himself, he was having plenty to say.

"Reading his comments he was actually saying more than I heard. I guess it was a little bit disappointing. Sitting back reading it, especially with a guy that's only just come out - he's played a handful of games, you know, two Tests and three or four one-day matches - and to come out and sort of say those things, not only about me but other guys as well ..."

Smith said in an interview with South African Sports Illustrated magazine that he had received abuse from several Australians, including McGrath, Shane Warne and opening batsman Matthew Hayden.

Ricky Ponting, Australia's one-day captain, admitted last week that his team could improve its on-field behaviour.

The Australians left Melbourne today for Brisbane, where they will play the third and final match in a one-day series against Pakistan at the Gabba ground on Wednesday (June 19). Pakistan won yesterday's second match at Melbourne's Colonial Stadium by two wickets with seven balls to spare, to square the series after Australia won the first match by seven wickets last Wednesday.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd