During the 5th Ashes Test, Australian players Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne were subjected to verbal attacks by an English spectator, sparking frustration and anger. This incident occurred almost three weeks after a similar infamous event in the Lord’s Long Room, where Khawaja and David Warner were verbally attacked during the 2nd Test.
The altercation during the 5th Test took place at the Kennington Oval in London, where an English spectator was caught on camera yelling “boring” at the Australian players as they made their way back to the pavilion through the stands.
Khawaja and Labuschagne confronted the fan who taunted them, with Khawaja urging him to calm down and Labuschagne questioning his behaviour.
Not quite the MCC Long Room at Lords. But @marnus3cricket and @Uz_Khawaja clearly not happy with this Englishman at the end of a frustrating day 3 for the Aussies! #boring #Ashes #ENGvsAUS pic.twitter.com/i0m5wM8bUY
— Pat McCormick (@pat_mccormickk) July 30, 2023
Prior to this, during the 2nd Test at Lord’s, Khawaja had faced attacks from MCC patrons following a contentious dismissal of Jonny Bairstow. In that match, Australia secured a series-retaining win. However, an unfortunate incident occurred when Khawaja and Warner were involved in a nasty exchange with an MCC member in the Lord’s Long Room.
Security had to intervene to restrain the players, and three members were later suspended by MCC for their abusive behaviour towards the Australians.
An English spectator enraged Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne
On Day 3 of the 5th Test, England gained a significant lead in the match through outstanding performances from Zak Crawley, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, and captain Ben Stokes. Despite the frustration caused by the verbal attacks, Khawaja and Warner displayed resilience in their unbeaten 135-run partnership, both achieving fifties.
The majority of the proceedings on Sunday were interrupted by heavy rain in London, resulting in a washout. As the final day of the Ashes series approaches, Australia faces the challenge of chasing 249 runs with all ten wickets in hand.
The incident involving the English spectator highlights the need for sportsmanship and respect between players and fans, and it remains essential to uphold the spirit of fair play in cricket.
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