Rishi Sunak says dismissal of Johnny Bairstow in second Ashes test ‘not in the spirit of cricket’

Rishi Sunak today slammed Australia over the controversial dismissal of Johnny Bairstow in the second Ashes test, saying it was ‘not in the spirit of cricket’.

The Prime Minister sided with England Captain Ben Stokes over the way the wicketkeeper was stumped after leaving his crease at Lords, setting up an Aussie win.

In an unforgettable fifth day finish at the home of cricket, the tourists were heckled and booed from the field after wrapping up a 43-run success despite Stokes’ best efforts.

Australian keeper Alex Carey threw down his fellow wicketkeeper’s stumps after Bairstow ducked a Cameron Green bouncer, tapped his bat behind the crease and began to walk down the pitch to chat with Stokes.

Bairstow felt the over had been completed, which would have rendered the ball dead, but Carey’s intervention was deemed to be within the laws of the game and the wicket stood.

Nearly 32,000 fans in the stands went apoplectic and things even took an angry turn in the usually polite confines of the Long Room, where Usman Khawaja and David Warner exchanged words with jeering members. 

Asked about the actions of the Australia cricket team on Sunday, Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman said the PM agreed that their actions were not in keeping with spirit of cricket.

‘The PM agrees with Ben Stokes who said he simply wouldn’t want to win a game in the manner Australia did,’ he added.

Australian keeper Alex Carey threw down his fellow wicketkeeper’s stumps after Bairstow ducked a Cameron Green bouncer, tapped his bat behind the crease and began to walk down the pitch to chat with Stokes.

Bairstow felt the over had been completed, which would have rendered the ball dead, but Carey’s intervention was deemed to be within the laws of the game and the wicket stood.

‘The game did provide an opportunity to see Ben Stokes at his best and it was an incredible Test match and he has confidence England will bounce back at Headingley.’

Mr Sunak praised the ‘swift action’ of the MCC against members who confronted the Australian team.

‘He thinks it was right the MCC have taken swift action to suspend any member accused of poor behaviour,’ the PM’s spokesman added.

‘He was there when Nathan Lyon hobbled out to bat on Saturday. Ob viously he was in considerable pain and he was given a standing ovation by members there and I think he felt that’s much more in keeping with the spirit of the game.

But Downing Street played down the prospect of Mr Sunak raising the row when he next speaks to Australian PM Anthony Albanese.

‘I think the public would want the PM to focus on core issues of the UK-Australia relationship and whilst there’s always going to be a friendly rivalry I think there’ll be focused on more core issues,’ the spokesman said.

Marylebone Cricket Club later suspended the membership of three individuals pending an investigation.

Stokes made it clear after the game that the manner of the Bairstow wicket left a bitter taste and suggested he may have withdrawn the appeal in similar circumstances.

‘The first thing that needs to be said is that it is out. But would I want to win a game in that manner? The answer for me is no,’ he said.

‘If the shoe was on the other foot, I would have a deep think about the whole spirit of the game. If I was fielding captain at the time I would have put a lot more pressure on the umpires to ask them what their decision was around the (end of the) over.

‘Jonny was in his crease, then left his crease to come out and have the conversation between overs like every batsman does. For Australia it was the matchwinning moment.’

With Australia also coming out on top in a tense finish in the series opener at Edgbaston, Stokes’ side now face the prospect of becoming the first England team since 2001 to lose a home Ashes.

To win the urn back they need to win at Headingley when battle resumes on Thursday and then do the same at Old Trafford and The Oval.

‘All we’re thinking about is winning the series 3-2,’ he said.

‘We have to win these three games to get this urn back and we’re a team who are obviously willing to put ourselves out there and do things against the narrative.

‘So, these next three games are an even better opportunity for us than we have ever found ourselves in before.’

Anticipating an even more feverish atmosphere in Leeds next week, Stokes added: ‘I definitely think it’s going to be ramped up.

‘When we go to Australia we get lambasted as well – 90,000 Australians at the MCG cursing at you. That’s part of the sport we play, you get thousands of people who want their team to win and they’ll just jump on something.’

Australia captain Pat Cummins was visibly taken aback by the vitriolic reaction he experienced but made no apologies for the Bairstow wicket.

‘It’s in the laws, totally fair play. That’s how I saw it,’ he said.

‘You see Jonny do it all the time, he did it day one to (David) Warner and in 2019 to Steve (Smith). It’s what keepers do if you see an opportunity. All credit to Carey, he rolled it at the stumps, Jonny left his crease and you leave the rest to the umpires.’