Ashes: Jonny Bairstow 'headbutt' blown out of proportion - Trevor Baylis

England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow's alleged headbutt on Australia batsman Cameron Bancroft is being "blown out of proportion", but the tourists need to be "smarter" in their spare time, says coach Trevor Bayliss.

The incident on a night out in Perth last month came to light during the hosts' 10-wicket win in the first Test.

Both Bairstow and Bancroft said there was "no malice" in the action.

"We've got to be smarter," said Bayliss.

"Most people in the world like going out and having a couple of quiet ones, but we've got to be careful we don't do anything stupid."

The Australian added it was "disappointing" that the incident had allowed the hosts an opportunity to "get under Jonny's skin" during the game.

Australia opener David Warner made reference to the incident out in the middle during England's second innings on day four, with his comments picked up on the stump microphone.

"Any team will take any opportunity to get stuck into the opposition and make them feel uncomfortable," said Bayliss,

"If you put yourself in that situation, you're fair game and we've got to be very careful we don't do that again in the future."

Australia captain Steve Smith admitted his side were trying to put 28-year-old Bairstow "off his game" and claimed "it worked" because the wicketkeeper was caught at third man for 42 shortly after.

'It was a headbutt kind of thing but without malice'

In a jovial news conference, with Smith laughing beside him, Bancroft said Bairstow greeted him "with a headbutt kind of thing" after the opener had arrived at the bar following a win for his state side Western Australia.

Bancroft, who made an unbeaten 82 on debut to help Australia complete victory on day five, added: "There was no malice in the action and we continued having good conversation for the rest of the evening.

"He connected with my head with a force that would make me think this is weird. At the time he said sorry. I've let it go. He didn't knock me over - I've got the heaviest head in the Western Australia squad."

Bayliss also took questions on his players' conduct on nights out, with references made to an incident involving all-rounder Ben Stokes, who did not travel with the squad because he is awaiting the outcome of a police investigation into his involvement in a fight outside a Bristol nightclub on 25 September.

"The disappointing thing is we make dumb decisions at different times," said Bayliss. "We've just got to be smarter and if that means not drinking then so be it."

The coach added he thought players would make sure they behaved following the Stokes incident and added they would be "extra dumb" if they did not now.

Analysis

BBC Sport's Stephan Shemilt in Brisbane

As news conferences go, this was utterly bizarre.

After Jonny Bairstow addressed reporters without taking questions, it was Trevor Bayliss and Joe Root, both clearly frustrated that this had happened so soon after the Ben Stokes incident.

Contrast that with the mood of Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith, with the Australia captain in hysterics as Bancroft gave his side of the story.

"What sort of of headbutt was it? "Where did his head make contact with?" were the type of questions he had to field.

Australia winning the first Test by 10 wickets barely got a mention. The hosts are 1-0 up on the field and further ahead off it.

'We didn't capitalise'

Joe Root's conversion rate from 50-100 is 28.26% compared to Steve Smith's 50%

When asked about the match itself, England captain Joe Root said his side "didn't quite capitalise" on the "good positions" they put themselves in during the first three days.

England were 246-4 in their first innings, but collapsed to 302 all out, with Australia later recovering from 209-7 to post a crucial first-innings lead of 26.

"When you get to near 250-4, you want to make scores of over 400. That was the difference between their innings and ours - Steve Smith went on and made big hundred," said Root.

"Having them seven down, you'd like to think you could close that out quicker, get a 60-80 run lead and it's a very different game."

Smith ended unbeaten on 141 in Australia's first innings, with England looking short of ideas on how to get him out, despite Root and the bowlers employing a number of different plans and field settings.

"It didn't work on this occasion." said Root. "That is the art of batting - ride the difficult periods.

"He worked extremely hard for his runs and played exceptionally well - on another day a play-and-miss would create a chance."

(BBC)