- England’s Jonny Bairstow allegedly headbutted Australia’s Cameron Bancroft
- Wicketkeeper being investigated over incident by English Cricket Board
- Incident was outside The Avenue bar in Perth around November 4-5 tour match
- Police were not called but Bairstow was sledged during his innings about it
England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow is being investigated for allegedly headbutting Australian batsman Cameron Bancroft.
The English Cricket Board is investigating the incident from when the team was in Perth for a tour match against Western Australia on November 4-5.
Bairstow allegedly headbutted Bancroft in the side of the head in a late-night scuffle outside The Avenue bar, according to Fox Sports.
England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow (pictured) is being investigated for allegedly headbutting Australian opener Cameron Bancroft
Bairstow allegedly headbutted Bancroft (pictured) in the side of the head in a late-night scuffle outside The Avenue bar in Perth
Police were not called over the incident but ‘heated sledging’ of Bairstow during his innings on Sunday was understood to be related to it.
Australian spinner Nathan Lyon may also have been referring to it when he talked about the rivalry in the lead-up to the Brisbane test.
‘There’s going to be heated moments… I’m all for it. There’s a line, we’ll headbutt the line but we won’t go over it,’ he said.
Bancroft, 25, had not yet been selected for the Australian side, and is now 51-not-out overnight with his side poised to win the first test of The Ashes.
Bancroft, 25, is now 51-not-out overnight with his side poised to win the first test of The Ashes
Bairstow discussed the issue with England team officials at stumps on Sunday but the team has not made any comment.
The star wicketkeeper would be the second England player mixed up in a late-night mishap after batsman Ben Stokes was arrested after an alleged drunken street brawl.
Stokes broke his finger in the incident which was caught on CCTV and saw him indefinitely suspended by England, although no charges were laid.
It’s not the first time Ashes tensions have allegedly boiled over into violence with Australian vice captain David Warner suspended for two matches in 2013 for punching England’s Joe Root.
Police were not called over the incident but ‘heated sledging’ of Bairstow (pictured after his dismissal) during his innings on Sunday was understood to be related to it.