 "Jonny Bairstow, Ashes")
The Ashes has taken an altogether different turn after the controversial incident of Jonny Bairstow being stumped by Alex Carey. The Australian cricketers were allegedly abused and booed by the members of the prestigious Long Room.
What happened on the field?
It was on the last ball of the 52nd over when Bairstow ducked at a bouncer from Cameron Green and just after the keeper had collected the ball, left the crease, to talk to Ben Stokes, who was at the non-striker’s end. Two batters usually chat in between overs. So this was routine.
But just as Bairstow left his crease after marking it with his willow and showing no intentions for a run, Carey from behind the stumps lodged the ball onto it and as the bails were dislodged, he alongside others appealed and the umpire looked confused as to what must be done.
After discussion between the two on-field umpires, the matter was referred to the third umpire who gave it out as the ball had not been dead before the stumps were broken.
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What happened off the pitch?
After this incident, Ben Stokes on the pitch and all the crowd inside the Lord’s stadium were riled up. The crowd started booing the Australian players. As Lunch was taken on the fifth day of the second Ashes Test, players passed through the Long Room as is the tradition. Few members in the Long Room were seen jeering the Aussies, allegedly calling them 'cheats'. Usman Khawaja, the Aussie opener was almost involved in a verbal spat while taking the stairs to the dressing room, before the stewards guided him away from the crowd.
An official complaint was lodged by the Australian management and as a result, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which manages the Long Room as well as Lord’s, decided to reprimand three members.
“We have unreservedly apologised to the Australian team and will deal with any member who has not maintained the standard we expect through our disciplinary processes. It was not necessary to eject anyone from the ground and we are pleased to say that there was no repeat of this as the players resumed the field for this afternoon’s session,” MCC said in an official release.
What is the Long Room and why is it so important?
The Long Room is a revered space located on the ground floor of the members’ pavilion at Lord’s. The members of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), who are setead in the Long Room, have the privilege of seeing the players walk through whenever play resumes or the wicket falls. The Long Room was an exclusively male-only space except for Queen Elizabeth II. It was opened to women in 1999.
The Long Room is a place of privilege because it takes 29 years to become a full member of the MCC as the waiting list on the Lord’s website shows 29 years for any new member registering. However, one cannot even register for membership without being approved by another full member, making it a hugely competitive club to enter.
What does the law say about stumping?
According to MCC’s Law 39.1- The striker is out Stumped when he/she is out of the crease and the wicket-keeper puts down the stumps without the intervention of any other fielder. In that sense, Bairstow was out because the umpires had not called over and hence the ball was not dead before it disloged the bails while the batter was outside the crease.
What did the players from both sides say about the two incidents?
Pat Cummins on the Long Room incident- “I think some of them might lose their memberships over the way they behaved. Other than that one time, they were fantastic all week. Normally fantastic, really welcoming. Something special about playing at Lord’s. I quite like the tradition.”
Ben Stokes on stumping- “I am not disputing the fact it is out because it is out. If the shoe was on the other foot, I would have put more pressure on the umpires and asked whether they had called over and had a deep think about the whole spirit of the game and whether I would want to do something like that. Would I want to win a game in that manner? The answer is no.”
