Australia’s Press dub ‘miserable Poms’ England as ‘hypocritical whingers’ and slam ‘disgraceful’ MCC members, as they vow to ‘do it AGAIN’ after row over controversial Jonny Bairstow dismissal
- Alex Carey controversially dismissed Jonny Bairstow on Day 5 at Lord’s
- Andrew McDonald warned England that Australia may deploy the tactic again
- Australian media have hailed Carey’s quick decision-making to dismiss Bairstow
Alex Carey’s controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow has well and truly ignited the Ashes series, with the Australian media slamming England players as ‘hypocritical whingers’.
Australia took a commanding 2-0 lead in the series with a 43-run win at Lord’s on Sunday, which will be remembered for the bizarre circumstances of Bairstow’s departure.
The England batsman ducked a Cameron Green bouncer that was the last ball of the over, marked his ground and then walked forward to talk to batting partner Ben Stokes.
Carey seized the opportunity to throw the ball at the stumps and effectively ran Bairstow out – even though it was classified as a stumping.
The incident thrusted the age-long debate about the discrepancy between the laws of cricket and the spirit of the game back in the spotlight.
Jonny Bairstow (middle) was controversially dismissed in the morning of Day 5 at Lord’s
Alex Carey flicked the ball against the stumps after Bairstow walked down the wicket to talk to Ben Stokes at the end of the over
Australian captain Pat Cummins was unrepentant in his post-match press conference, while Stokes questioned why the tourists did not withdraw their appeal.
Unsurprisingly, Cummins’ stance was widely backed on the back pages Down Under on Monday.
‘On ya bike, Jonny’ is the not too-subtle opening salvo on The Daily Telegraph, where Dean Ritchie slams the ‘Miserable Poms’ as ‘a bunch of hypocritical, pompous whingers’.
Ritchie writes: ‘Alex Carey’s stumping of a vague Jonny Bairstow was legal, moral and, ultimately, a match-winner.
‘The protesting Poms can have a two finger salute – which could also double as the series score. That’s right, it’s two-nil.’
Ritchie’s fellow veteran rugby league writer Phil Rothfield, however, was far more magnanimous and suggested a magnificent Ashes victory had been ‘ruined by Australia’s lack of sportsmanship’.
Rothfield was among the few to have any sympathy for England.
The MCC members also came in for plenty of criticism for confronting the Aussie players and branding them as ‘cheats’ as they walked through the Long Room.
The Daily Telegraph’s Dean Ritchie slammed England as ‘hypocritical whingers’
Fellow Telegraph writer Phil Rothfield, however, questioned Australia’s behaviour
After Cricket Australia demanded a probe into the heated incident, the MCC suspended three members who were part of the confrontation and said they will not be permitted back until an investigation takes place.
The Australian’s cricket journalist Peter Lalor tweeted a clip of the incident, describing the behaviour of the members as ‘disgraceful’.
The Daily Telegraph, meanwhile, suggested the ugly confrontation ‘was shameful and mean-spirited. Lord’s once regal image now belongs in a hearse.’
Peter Lalor of The Australian described the treatment of Aussie players by some MCC members in the Long Room as ‘disgraceful’
Cricket commentator and The Final Word co-host Geoff Lemon, meanwhile, argued the controversy surrounding the stumping of Bairstow was bizarre.
‘It may have been against the spirit of the game, but it was also perfectly legitimate.
‘I’m genuinely mystified by today,’ he said.
‘The first lesson of batting is stay in your ground. Keepers attempt those runouts routinely. Then suddenly people are raging like it’s some shock new thing.’
The Final Word podcast co-host Geoff Lemon noted England led the Moral Ashes
In a separate tweet, he added England lead the Moral Ashes 2-0.
And Australia coach Andrew McDonald has already warned England that Carey may look to run batsmen out in a similar fashion over the course of the series.
‘There’s no doubt about that,’ he said.
‘You see a run-out opportunity at point, you throw at the bowler’s end.’
McDonald’s comments are the focus of the Sydney Morning Herald, whose headline admonishes: ‘We’d do it again: Australia stand their ground amid Bairstow furore’.
Australian media were quick to point out Bairstow had attempted to run out Marnus Labuschagne earlier in the Test in similar fashion, albeit in slightly different circumstances as Bairstow’s attempt did not come after the last ball of the over.
‘Can’t have it both ways chaps!,’ a Fox Sports headline read.
On The Sydney Morning Herald, Andrew McDonald warned England that Australia will look to run out batsmen in similar fashion during the series
‘Damning footage exposes Poms’ great Ashes hypocrisy.’
Hypocrisy was a recurring theme in the coverage, particularly after Stuart Broad wasted no time in letting Carey know what he thought of his actions, with the conversation picked up by the stump mic.
‘You’ll forever be remembered for that,’ he told Carey as the crowd at Lord’s made its feelings known.
Until he was recently usurped by Ollie Robinson, Broad has long been public enemy No1 in Australia and Ritchie made clear the tourists would not be lectured on sportsmanship by a man who refused to walk after nicking off in the 2013 Ashes.
Code Sport write Adam Peacock sang from the same hymn sheet, sharing a clip of Broad standing his ground at Trent Bridge a decade ago.
Code Sports’ Adam Peacock said the umpires had made the right decision both regarding Mitchell Starc’s catch on Day 4 and Bairstow’s dismissal
In reference to Mitchell Starc’s controversial catch at the end of Day 4, Peacock added: ‘Laws of the game good enough yesterday, good enough today’.
Ben Duckett was given out after Starc appeared to complete a catch late on the fourth day, but the England batsman was given a reprieve after the third umpire ruled Starc was not in control of his body as he scraped the ball on the ground while sliding to a halt.
‘I’m sorry, that is the biggest load of rubbish I’ve ever seen,’ former Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath said on BBC’s Test Match Special.
‘He’s got that under control, the ball is under control. That is a disgrace. I’m sorry, that is a disgrace. I’ve seen everything now. I cannot believe that. That is ridiculous. If that ball is not under control, that is ridiculous.’
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