One Piers’d off British journalist-turned US talk show host could be in for a painful Boxing Day, if his Twitter rants over England’s meek Ashes capitulation can be believed.

Piers Morgan, the former UK tabloid editor who is now watched by millions as the host of Piers Morgan Live on US channel CNN, became the butt of Aussie jokes over the weekend with his criticisms of England’s batsmen in the Second Ashes Test.

Yesterday, Morgan called for “pathetic” England captain Alistair Cook to be sacked when he was out hooking against Mitchell Johnson.

Alastair Cook should be fired for that shot. Just dumped as captain right now. Utter, reckless stupidity. Pathetic. #Ashes

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) December 8, 2013

Somewhat surprisingly, Channel 9’s Australian commentators rushed to defend the flailing English batsmen, asking him if he could do better himself against Johnson.

Morgan, who himself played plenty of cricket in the lower grades when a newspaper editor in England, refused to back down … saying he’d be happy to face Johnson himself. That prompted former Australian paceman Brett Lee to issue a challenge for a showdown during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

“Are you going to take me on mate in Melbourne?” Lee tweeted. “I’m feeling fresh and ready to unleash some thunderbolts at you.”

Morgan immediately accepted, trash-talking Lee: “Tell you what @BrettLee_58 – bring Thommo & Lillee out of retirement too. You’ll need a bit of help.”

Whether we see that showdown or not remains to be seen … but Morgan certainly wasn’t backing down from his criticisms of the England team this morning when they were finally dismissed during the first session of the fifth day.

Aussie commentators all fiercely defending Cook on @Channel9 ? Of course they are! He’s handing them a 5-0 #Ashes whitewash. — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) December 9, 2013