`Oz fan` McIlroy `stunned` by `vitriolic sledging` between England, Oz in Ashes

Washington: Northern Irish golf ace Rory McIlroy has said that he is `stunned` by the level of vitriolic sledging between Australia and England in the ongoing Ashes series, even though he admitted trading playful sledges with world number one Tiger Woods. McIlroy, who is cheering for Australia to re-claim the Ashes over England, believes that the fierce sledging of the first Ashes Test and its subsequent fall-out has shown that verbal exchanges between players appeared to slide to new lows.

According to Fox Sports, a keen cricket fan, McIlroy said that he believes the sledging this year in cricket has been worse as compared to the past years, adding that it seems as if players are having a go at each other after each ball. McIlroy further said that the sledging would continue to get tougher for as long the player is on the pitch, adding that even though he traded sledges with Woods, it was far more playful and humorous than the Ashes sledging. According to the former world number one, as he and Woods have a bond between them and know each other very well, so any exchanges between them is fun, adding that he does not think the Australian and England players are having beers together after the Test matches.