Australian skipper Pat Cummins opened up on an ‘extra-protection’ request for families of the players during the third Test of the 2023 Ashes series at Headingley, Leeds. He expressed that the team requested protection for the families in case they become subjects of abuse. The request comes in the wake of controversy regarding Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal during the Lord’s Test.
Australian batter Steve Smith’s mother, who was present at the Lord’s for the second Test, had to leave the ground due to abuse from the England fans. Meanwhile, an 11-year-old child of one of the support staff members moved to tears because of the behaviour of the fans. Heading into the third Test, the Australian players want ‘extra protection’ for their family members.
“We’re in our partner period here, so we’ve got loads of family and kids around. There might be an extra eye on them, where they are in the crowd, just to make sure everything’s fine,” said Pat Cummins.
We have well and truly moved past the 2019 Headingley Test: Pat Cummins
Pat Cummins expressed that the Australian team has moved on from the 2019 defeat against England at Headingley. Ben Stokes pulled off a miracle in the match, as England chased down 359 runs, with the all-rounder unbeaten on 135. Pat Cummins conceded the winning boundary in the match.
“I’ve seen it about 1000 times in the last four years (on Stokes’ winning shot off his bowling). I am sure that memory will be brought up quite a bit, just like 2005 was brought up at Edgbaston. But we have well and truly moved past that,” said Pat Cummins.
“It was a tough Test match but also a fantastic Test match. That day four was crazy. Mixed emotions, I think. The first emotion is obviously disappointed because the Test match has gone away. But you know that’s one of those moments that’s going to be played for a long time. In some regards, felt lucky that I was in the middle of it,” he added.
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