Australia’s cricketers have been slammed after a Sydney newspaper published photos of them lighting up at post-Ashes celebrations.

Shaun Marsh and Jackson Bird were photographed smoking at the Coogee Pavilion while out with their teammates. Spinner Nathan Lyon appears to be holding a cigarette as he arrives.

The photos in the Daily Telegraph have prompted an angry response from health experts (see the photos here).

Quit Victoria director Dr Sarah White told Heidi Murphy it’s disappointing for the sportsmen and their fans.

“In this day and age, why would elite sportsmen (a) still be smoking, and (b) doing so in a public space when children around Australia, teens around Australia, young men, seek to emulate them?” she said.

“Smoking is not illegal … it happens to be the leading cause of preventable deaths and disease in Australia, but sadly not illegal.

“So if they want to smoke, go ahead and do it, but don’t do it in a public forum.”

3AW sport reporter Shane McInnes disagreed.

“It was a private function,” he argued.