Bairstow dismissal | 'Same Old Aussies winning': Australia PM hits back after Sunak backs Stokes

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday came out in support of his country’s cricket team amid the Jonny Bairstow Ashes controversy.

Australia won the match after the English batsman left his position in the second test, apparently thinking the over had ended. After ducking a slow bouncer from Cameron Green, Bairstow had immediately left his crease to have a chat with skipper Ben Stokes in the middle, believing that the ball was dead. However, wicketkeeper Carey played within the rules and broke the stumps, and third umpire Marais Erasmus gave a decision in favour of Australia.

Also read: Bairstow dismissal: UK PM Rishi Sunak slams Australia for breaching ‘spirit of cricket’

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak too agreed with Stokes who claimed that Australia “broke the spirit of cricket” in taking the contentious wicket. However, Albanese said the country stands “right behind” its team.

Two consecutive wins

“Same old Aussies – always winning!” the prime minister tweeted, referring to the Australian side’s two consecutive Test wins so far. His phrase also appeared to be a jibe at English fans who chanted “same old Aussies always cheating” after Bairstow was dismissed.

Australian captain Pat Cummins has maintained the Bairstow wicket was fair and within the rules. On the other hand, his England counterpart Ben Stokes admitted that Bairstow was out, but at the same time he said he would not have wanted to win a match “in that manner”. The debate over the Bairstow wicket has ramped up the consistently fierce rivalry between Australia and England during an Ashes Test series with England fans targeting Aussies on the tour.

Also read: Ashes: Bairstow dismissal row reeks of England’s double standards

England fans were criticised for their behaviour at the member’s club at Lord’s on Saturday when a crowd heckled and hurled abuses at the Australian team players as they filed past after the match. Following complaints from the Australian side, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) – which owns Lord’s – issued an apology and said it had suspended three members over the incident.

At receiving end

Besides, a footage of Australian batsman Usman Khawaja, a Muslim player of Pakistani heritage, being taunted and jeered at by English members in the crowd, came out on Tuesday. The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported Khawaja had been “repeatedly singled out for abuse” in the room, and published a video showing Khawaja reacting to the crowd and pointing out hecklers to a security guard.

Khwaja had earlier said he and another targeted teammate, David Warner, had spoken to members in the crowd following the abuse. He described the comments as “disrespectful” and “really disappointing”. Australian captain Cummins also said members were “quite aggressive and abusive towards some of our players”.

Also read: Ashes: Stokes’ epic 155 in vain as Australia win Lord’s Test to go 2-0 up

The Sydney paper reported that sources close to the England Cricket Board have denied any of the MCC investigations into the confrontation related to racial abuse.

Speaking after the second test, Australian captain Cummins also accused the English team of hypocrisy in game tactics – as match footage showed Bairstow trying to stump Australian batters in the same manner two days prior to the final day incident.

Australia has taken a 2-0 lead in the Ashes against England, after winning the second test by 43 runs. There are three more tests to go.