Flames after Ashes: Bairstow stumping irks McCullum

LONDON, July 2

Furious England coach Brendon McCullum has suggested his players might skip post-Ashes beers with the Australia team and questioned the visitors’ sportsmanship over the Jonny Bairstow stumping on the final day of the second Test at Lord’s.

With England on 193/5 and chasing a mammoth target of 371, Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey under-armed the ball at the stumps after Bairstow left his crease at the end of an over.

The dismissal triggered long and loud booing from the Lord’s crowd and saw Australian players verbally abused by MCC members in the stadium’s usually staid Long Room.

With England eventually losing by 43 runs to trail 2-0 in the five-Test series, McCullum made it clear the stumping had strained relations.

“I can’t imagine we’ll be having a beer with them any time soon,” McCullum said. “We have three Tests to land some blows and try to win the Ashes. That is where our focus will be.”

MCC members suspended

Disgruntled MCC members verbally abused Australia players as they walked through the pavilion at the lunch interval, prompting opener Usman Khawaja to remonstrate with several of them. “Some of the stuff that was coming out of the members’ mouths was really disappointing and I wasn’t just going to stand by and cop it,” Khawaja said.

Australian team management asked the MCC to investigate, saying some players had been “physically contacted” by spectators in the members’ area. The MCC later said it had suspended three members. Reuters