Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes were 'fat-shamed' by fans on Day 3 of ongoing fourth Test of Ashes 2021-22 at SCG.
English batter Jonny Bairstow said it would have been nice if the section of the crowd, who abused him during the Day 3 of the ongoing fourth Test of Ashes 2021-22 at SCG were still there after the stumps.
The ongoing fourth Test of Ashes 2021-22 at SCG has not only raised the excitement bar to newer levels with a much more even contest of bat and ball but it was also marred by crowd abuse.
After battling hard in the post-lunch session, English batters Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes on their way back to the pavilion at tea were abused by a section of the crowd, who called the all-rounder ‘fat’ and asked the right-hander to take off his jumper and ‘lose some weight’.
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Jonny Bairstow then couldn’t resist himself and fired back at them saying, “Pal, that's right just turn around and walk away”. Three men that abused the English players were then ejected from the SCG.
Talking about the incident in his press conference, English batter Jonny Bairstow called it a bad-mouthing, saying that sometimes people overstep the mark.
"It was a bit of bad-mouthing. It's not needed. We're out there trying to do our jobs, people are there enjoying the cricket. Unfortunately, sometimes people overstep the mark,” Jonny Bairstow said.
Bairstow further added that in such situations, players should stand up for themselves as when people overstep the mark, they need to be told.
He quipped that it’d have been nice if people that abused him were present in the stands at the stumps on Day 3.
"I think it is important to stand up for ourselves because if we are not standing up for ourselves, you can cop it. When people overstep the mark, they need to be told.
“It'd have been nicer if we were there giving it when we walked off at the end, wouldn't it? Unfortunately, they weren't there at the end, they missed the end of a fantastic day of Test cricket," he said.
Coming to the fourth match of Ashes, after England was reduced to 36/4 in their innings, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stoked led the fightback for their side, stitching a 128-run partnership. While the all-rounder was dismissed for 66 runs, the right-hander smashed a century (113) that helped his side post 294 runs in their first innings.
(ANI inputs)