Ashes: Stokes rebukes Australia as tourists lead England 2-0 in series
England captain Ben Stokes has hit out at Australia after their controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow in yesterday’s second Ashes Test defeat at Lord’s.
Stokes, whose heroic 155 proved to be in vain, suggested that he wouldn’t have sought the dismissal – and that he wouldn’t be sharing a beer with the tourists any time soon.
He and Bairstow were at the crease and targeting 371 in what would have been the second highest Ashes chase ever when the flashpoint sparked uproar at the Home of Cricket.
Ashes defeat
When a Cameron Green ball passed the wicketkeeper-batsman and went through to Australian keeper Alex Carey in the final ball of the over, Bairstow assumed the over was finished.
But the umpire hadn’t called the end and Carey went on to stump Bairstow before captain Pat Cummins refused to withdraw his appeal, a call which would see the batter be given out.
Head coach Brendon McCullum questioned if it had been in the spirit of the game, but it was a key moment in England’s failed run chase, which left them 2-0 down in the Ashes with three matches to play.
“Jonny Bairstow was in his crease and then came out to have a chat in the middle. I’m not disputing if it was out, it was,” Stokes said.
“If it was on the other side then I would have had a harder chat with the umpires about if ‘over’ was called. Do I want to win in that manner? No.
“I can’t imagine we’ll be having a beer [with Australia] any time soon.”
Head coach Brendon McCullum said: “I think it was more about the spirit of the game and when you become older and more mature you realise the game and the spirit of it is something you need to protect.
Decisions in the moment
“You have to make decisions in the moment and they can have effects on games and people’s characters.”
Australia captain Cummins said: “I think Carey saw it happen a few balls previous, there was no pause. Catch it and throw it at the stumps.
“I thought it was totally fair play. I know some people disagree but it’s like the catch yesterday. That’s how I saw it.”
The controversy couldn’t, however, take away from a gallant effort from England at Lord’s, where captain Stokes kept hopes alive for much of the day with a knock of 155.
The hosts began the day needing 257 runs with six wickets in hand and looked to be motoring towards a respectable effort but opener Ben Duckett fell for 83 after an impressive stand with Stokes.
Bairstow was then controversially stumped as Lord’s erupted into fury; the traditional murmur of 31,000 fans replaced with raucous jeering towards the tourists.
Stuart Broad, once at the crease, got involved himself, winding up the Aussies to the delight of the home fans.
Stokes began to motor, much like he did at Headingley in 2019 where he made 135 not out to grasp a victory from the jaws of defeat.
Gone
His knock, with Broad playing as a fine wingman, saw six after six fly into the Tavern Stand in St John’s Wood.
His 155 came off 214 balls and saw the Durham batter knock nine fours and nine sixes at a strike rate of 72.43.
But his heroic effort was not enough and the talismanic figure fell with England needing just 70 runs to win.
Tailender Ollie Robinson could add just the single run before he was caught by Steve Smith off captain Cummins’ bowling before Broad’s exciting cameo came to an end with the bowler scoring 11 runs – more than Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook managed combined a day earlier.
The last man, Josh Tongue, fell soon after and Australia wrapped up yet another victory at Lord’s, where England have beaten them just three times since 1895.
A draw in the third Test at Headingley, where play is due to start on Thursday, will be enough to see Australia retain the urn. They haven’t won a series in England since 2001.