Justin Langer admits regret over Australia's taking a knee stance: "We could have talked more about it"

Responding to criticism from Michael Holding, the coach admits they should have discussed the issue more but meant no disrespect by not making the gesture

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Australia coach Justin Langer has misgivings over the process which ended with the team deciding against taking a knee during the white-ball tour of England.

Aaron Finch held talks with opposite number Eoin Morgan before the T20 international series and the three ODIs and decided together they would not make the gesture.

Finch, who has spoken openly about the Black Lives Matter movement, said "education around it is more important than the protest" upon being asked about the tourists' plans for the series.

England had taken a knee during the West Indies Test series and Ireland ODIs but didn't against Pakistan.

Former West Indies seamer Michael Holding criticised the position taken by all three teams, suggesting "the excuses and reasons they have given are a bit flimsy".

Ahead of the final match of the tour, the third ODI which will decide the outcome of the 50-over series, Langer said more conversation should have taken place over Australia's stance but denied any malice was intended.

"When Mikey says what he says, it's certainly worth listening to," he told the media. "In terms of taking a knee, to be completely honest, we could have talked more about it perhaps leading up to the first game.

"There was so much going on leading up to us getting here, maybe we should have talked more about it.

"What we do talk about within the team, was that we want to have a response that is sustained and powerful and that it can go not just in one action but a sustained period. Not just throughout this series and the summer but throughout time.

"I just hope if it looked like there was a lack of respect, it wasn't the intention of our team. We were very aware of it."

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