During the final day of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s, an unpleasant incident unfolded both on and off the field.
As England chased a daunting target of 371 runs, they lost two quick wickets just before lunch, with the second dismissal causing controversy.
Although the dismissal was within the rules, the English crowd was furious and chanted, “Same old Aussies, always cheating.”
Despite Ben Stokes’s impressive century giving England hope, the fans were still unhappy about Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal, and they made their dissatisfaction known.
The discontent carried over into the Lord’s Long Room, where two Australian players faced hostility from members of the MCC.
As Pat Cummins and his teammates entered the Long Room, the resounding boos from the crowd echoed through the hall.
Amidst the cacophony expressed displeasure at Alex Carey’s smart wicketkeeping that led to Bairstow’s dismissal, directing it towards Australian opener Usman Khawaja.
🏏🇦🇺 Usman Khawaja got an earful from the Long Room as Australia headed for lunch…#TheAshes | #ENGvsAUS pic.twitter.com/TqSsyPrRBI
— The Sportsman (@TheSportsman) July 2, 2023
Footage capturing the exchange between MCC members and Khawaja and Warner quickly went viral
Khawaja halted on his way back to the dressing room, engaging in a heated exchange before being restrained by security.
David Warner also faced verbal remarks, prompting umpire Chris Gaffaney to intervene.
Former Australian captain Mark Taylor commented:
“You don’t like seeing that from the members,” while former Test batter Callum Ferguson described the atmosphere as “nasty” and the comments from the crowd as “vicious.”
Even seasoned England cricketers expressed dissatisfaction with the scenes inside the Long Room.
Ian Ward noted that the crowd had been targeting the Australian team both on the field and inside the Long Room.
Usman Khawaja and David Warner were involved in heated exchanges with members before being separated by teammates and stewards.
Former England captain Eoin Morgan expressed his astonishment, saying, “I’ve never seen scenes like that, particularly in the Long Room.”
He added:
“There is a huge sense of frustration. I can’t understand why. It’s complete naivety around what has happened around Bairstow’s dismissal – he’s stumped!”
Meanwhile, Ben Stokes’s remarkable century before lunch put England within 139 runs of the target. Although the lower-order batsmen were already at the crease.
The incident inside the Long Room was captured on video. The footage quickly went viral, drawing widespread attention to the altercation.
In summary, an unsavory incident marred the atmosphere at Lord’s during the Ashes Test. The MCC members engaging in a confrontational exchange with Australian players.
The situation escalated with verbal exchanges and required intervention from the umpire.
Former players and commentators expressed their disappointment with the behavior. As they highlighted the tension and frustration surrounding the match.
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