PHIL CAMPBELL: The England wicketkeeper-batter was dismissed by Alex Carey on day five of the second Test - an incident which caused plenty of outcry - but has addressed the topic in a new book
Jonny Bairstow has reopened old wounds by questioning his stumping during the second men's Ashes Test and the validity of several catches taken by Australia across the series.
The England wicketkeeper-batter was stumped by Alex Carey on day five at Lord's - an incident which caused plenty of outcry.
Bairstow stepped out of his crease at the end of an over during the hosts' pursuit of 371 to square the series, with Carey delivering an underarm throw which caught him short of his ground.
Ben Stokes later stated he would have withdrawn the appeal had he been in the same position as Australia skipper Pat Cummins, despite the dismissal being within the rules.
"If you try to gain an advantage, then it's fair game," said Bairstow in an extract of Bazball published by The Daily Telegraph.
Ben Stokes admitted he would have withdrawn the appeal (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
"But if you're starting in your crease, you've ducked, tap, tap, scratched. I've even dragged my bat, looked up, and then gone.
"I've never seen it happen from someone starting in their crease. I don't think you want that filtering down into kids' cricket.
"Look at the Mankads and everything like that. You want young kids to be out there batting and having fun, not thinking about whether the fielders might do this or that.
"It might tarnish people’s enjoyment of the game that we're trying to get kids into. You want to be out there batting and bowling, rather than thinking about the 11 different ways you can get someone out."
Bairstow continued: "The decision was that I was out, and I moved on.
Bairstow has also questioned a number of catches taken by Australia (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
"I've not brought it up since. I've kept quiet. It's on them. If that's how they want to go about it and win a cricket game or what have you, then so be it."
The Yorkshireman has also questioned a number of catches taken by Australia during the summer.
"There's conjecture around everything," he added. "Fingers underneath the ball when the ball's still touching the ground. Celebrating when the ball has touched the ground. Marnus (Labschagne) celebrated at Edgbaston at short-leg.
"Then the one that 'Rooty' (Joe Root) fell to at Lord's, when [Steve Smith] said his fingers were underneath the ball. However, they were splayed widely.
"But that was given out, that's fine – it's part and parcel of the game and the decisions the umpires give."
Posted by Ian Lowe on 27/10/2023 at 13:35
Bairstow's complaint would have held more water if he hadn't tried to stump Labushagne the same way on day 3 of the Lord's Test, just as McCullum's would have carried more weight if he hadn't run out Muralitharan when he left his crease to congratulate his fellow batsman on a century, while Broad's clamour about the spirit of cricket would have been more convincing if he hadn't stood his ground when caught at slip in 2013 and persuaded a dozy umpire to give him another innings. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone!
Posted by Ashraf Hosein on 25/10/2023 at 12:39
Question Jonny,what about all the other times you did the same thing with a flagrant disregard for the Umpires and the laws of the game? Where was the spirit of the game then?
Posted by Geoff Sando on 25/10/2023 at 06:34
There was no defense for the reactions of Bairstow, Broad, McCullum and others at the time and there is nothing here which justifies the reaction. There are huge holes in all that Bairstow puts up to defend his response. I don't think that Bairstow gives kids any credit. They are not stupid. Perhaps some introspection would help Bairstow.
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