Former England skipper Andrew Strauss slammed Jonny Bairstow after his controversial Lord’s dismissal in the second Ashes Test against Australia. On the final day of the Test match, Bairstow was casual and left the crease after the final ball of the 52nd over, bowled by Cameron Green even before the umpire call ‘over’.
Australian wicket-keeper Alex Carey had the match awareness as he stumped Bairstow by throwing the ball at the stumps. Bairstow was flabbergasted when the Australian players appealed for the stumping and he had to return to the pavilion.
There was no doubt that Bairstow was caught off-guard and he was definitely being dozy. It was a huge wicket in the context of the game and it was a schoolboy blunder from England’s wicket-keeper.
“Australia are the villains, as far as England fans are concerned – especially Cummins and his decision not to withdraw that appeal of Bairstow.”
“Cummins will get plenty of stick for the rest of the series, I would’ve thought, off the back of that,” said Strauss while talking to Sky Sports.
Strauss feels Australia did the right thing as they played by the laws of the game and it should not be mixed with the spirit of the game.
“You could argue that it was against the spirit of cricket. In truth, I think there was absolutely nothing wrong with it but, of course, the crowd will see it through English patriotic eyes.”
“Bairstow was being dozy going outside of his crease. I was pretty comfortable with what Australia did.”
Meanwhile, Jonny Bairstow returned with scores of 16 and 10 in the Lord’s Test match. After Bairstow’s dismissal, Ben Stokes played a blistering knock of 155 runs and added 108 runs with Stuart Broad to give a glimmer of hope to the hosts. However, Stokes’ heroics with the bat went in vain as Australia won by 43 runs.
The third Ashes Test will be played at Leeds, Headingley from Thursday onwards.