New footage has emerged showing the Australian team being heckled at Lord’s in an incident that led three MCC members to be suspended after the Ashes Test.
The Australia players were confronted by some MCC members in the Lord’s pavilion after the controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow on day five of the second Ashes Test.
Tempers flared after Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey stumped Bairstow, who left the crease believing the ball to be dead at the end of the 52nd over of England’s second innings.
While the dismissal was legitimate, some have argued it was against the spirit of the game and suggested Pat Cummins should have withdrawn the appeal, with Ben Stokes later saying he would not want to win ‘that way’.
Australia’s David Warner and Usman Khawaja appeared to clash with spectators in the Lord’s Long Room as the teams walked off for lunch and the heckling continued as the tourists made their way back into the dressing room.
In new footage uploaded on social media, MCC members can be heard chanting ‘cheat’ at the Australia players as they returned to the changing room, with one spectator referencing the 2019 ball-tampering scandal that led to bans for Warner and Steve Smith.
The Marylebone Cricket Club, which acts as custodian and arbiter of the laws and spirit of cricket, has apologised ‘unreservedly’ to Australia and suspended three of its members following the incident at Lord’s.
‘They will not be permitted back to Lord’s whilst the investigation takes place,’ the MCC said in a statement.
‘We maintain that the behaviour of a small number of members was completely unacceptable and whilst there was no suggestion by Pat Cummins in the post-match press conference that there was any physical altercation, it remains wholly unacceptable to behave in such a way, which goes against the values of the club.
‘MCC condemns the behaviour witnessed and once again we re-iterate our apology to Cricket Australia.’
Cummins, who has led Australia to a 2-0 Ashes lead, added: ‘The MCC came and apologised for the behaviour of some of the members.
The Jonny Bairstow dismissal – what’s all the fuss?
In the scorebook it will forever read: Bairstow 10, b Green, stumped Carey
But that barely tells half the story. In the most controversial moment of this Ashes series, England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow was stumped by Australian counterpart Alex Carey.
So what happened?
Bairstow was 10 not out during England’s chase of 371 on the final day of the second Ashes Test when he ducked under a Cameron Green bouncer.
On autopilot, he marked his guard and began to walk down the pitch to greet his batting partner Ben Stokes between overs.
But while Bairstow presumed the ball was dead – taking all forms of dismissal out of the equation – Carey immediately threw the ball back at the stumps.
Bairstow was well out of his crease by the time the ball hit the stumps and the bails were dislodged and Australia began to celebrate in front of a bemused Bairstow.
Bairstow and Stokes briefly spoke to the Australian team and the umpires and as Cummins decided not to withdraw the appeal, the dismissal stood.
Boos rang out around Lord’s and would persist for the rest of the day as Australia won the match by 43 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the Ashes.
What do the laws say?
By the letter of the law, Bairstow had to go. The MCC’s Laws of Cricket state:
20.1.2: The ball shall be considered to be dead when it is clear to the bowler’s end umpire that the fielding side and both batters at the wicket have ceased to regard it as in play.
So while Bairstow clearly believed the ball to be dead, Australia – and crucially Carey – did not.
Of course want the laws do not consider is the fairly nebulous concept of ‘Spirit of Cricket’. Some have suggested that as Bairstow was not trying to gain an unfair advantage, Australia should have withdrawn the appeal, or at least warned him before the dismissal.
What did the captains say?
England’s Ben Stokes: ‘Taking the whole situation into consideration, the first thing to say is it is out. The thing I had to consider when I was out there was the fact it was the last ball of the over.
‘I very shortly questioned the umpires whether they had called over; both were making the gesture towards walking to their opposite positions.
‘Jonny left his crease to come out and have the conversation in between overs like every batter does and I think if I was fielding captain at the time, I would have put a lot more pressure on the umpires to ask them around what their decision was around the over.
‘Then I would have had to have a real think around the spirit of the game and would I want to potentially win a game with something like that happening – and it would be no.’
Australia’s Pat Cummins: ‘Alex [Carey] saw it happen a few balls previously [Bairstow leave his crease]. There was no pause, he caught it and straight away had a throw at the stumps.
‘I thought it was totally fair play. That’s how the rule is. I know some people might disagree.’
‘I think some of them might lose their memberships over the way they behaved. Other than that one time, they were fantastic all week. Normally fantastic, really welcoming.
‘They were just quite aggressive and abusive towards some of our players, which I know the MCC weren’t too happy with.’
Bairstow’s dismissal left England needing 178 runs with four wickets left and Stokes’ sensational 155 was not enough to get the hosts over the line as Australia clinched a 43-run win.
While Australia – and in particular their captain Cummins – were booed for the rest of the day, the atmosphere at Lord’s was already hostile following controversy surrounding a Mitchell Starc catch at the end of day four.
Starc appeared to take a diving catch in the deep after England opener Ben Duckett top-edged a pull shot but the Australian pace bowler then dragged the ball along the ground as he completed the slide.
Duckett, who made 98 and 83 in the second Test, was almost off the field when he was called back and given not out by TV umpire Marais Erasmus.
At the end of play, the MCC backed the umpire’s decision, citing Law 33.3 which states that a catch is ‘only completed when the fielder has control over the ball and his/her own movement’.
Despite the laws seemingly clearing up the issue, Australia legend Glenn McGrath described the decision was ‘disgraceful’.
Speaking on BBC’s Test Match Special, he said: ‘He’s got that under control, the ball is under control. If that is not out, then every other catch that has ever been taken should not be out.
‘That is a disgrace. Did the ground assist him catching the ball? Did him sliding aid the catch?
‘It did not assist him, he had control of the ball. Every catch in this series, we’ll have to make sure they are in control of their body.’
But former England captain Michael Vaughan responded: ‘I saw the message from [umpire] Marais Erasmus and he was in control of the ball but not of his body.
‘Rules are rules. Sorry, Glenn!’
Australia’s 43-run victory at Lord’s puts them 2-0 up in the Ashes with three Tests remaining. Only once in history has a team lifted the urn after losing the first two Test matches.
MORE : Ben Stokes speaks out on Jonny Bairstow controversy as Australia take Ashes lead
MORE : Michael Vaughan backs England to keep Ashes alive in third Test against Australia
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