Having lost the first two Tests, England are trailing 0-2 to Australia in the five-match Ashes series.
While Australia overcame Ben Stokes’ onslaught to win the Lord’s Test by 43 runs, England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal hogged all the limelight.
After the second Test came to an end on Sunday (July 2), a battle between the British and Australian media started.
On Monday (July 3), newspapers in the United Kingdom took a dig at the Australian team over Bairstow’s contentious stumping. A day later, the Aussie media hit back with 'crybabies' tag for Stokes and his men.
Having noticed one of the newspaper front pages on social media, Stokes couldn't himself back from reacting.
The West Australian paper posted a picture of Stokes in nappies, with 'Crybabies' written in capital letters.
"Poms take whingeing to new level with 'cheating' drivel," another line in the newspaper read.
Taking to Twitter, Stokes reacted to the post and wrote: "That's definitely not me, since when did I bowl with the new ball".
During the 52nd over of England’s second innings, Bairstow ducked a short delivery from Cameron Green and almost instantly left his crease assuming that the ball was dead.
However, Alex Carey was alert behind the stumps as the Australian wicketkeeper collected the ball and hit the stumps in one go to catch Bairstow well outside his crease.
The Australians appealed and the decision was referred to the third umpire Marais Erasmus, who did not take much time to declare Bairstow out.
The rule 20.1.2 of ICC Playing Conditions states: “The ball shall be considered to be dead when it is clear to the bowler’s end umpire that the fielding side and both batsmen at the wicket have ceased to regard it as in play.”
After the game, however, Stokes said he would not have preferred a win with the kind of dismissal that led to Bairstow’s departure.
"If the shoe was on the other foot I would have put more pressure on the umpires and asked whether they had called over and had a deep think about the whole spirit of the game and would I want to do something like that. For Australia, it was the match-winning moment. Would I want to win a game in that manner? The answer for me is no," Stokes told the BBC.
Having lost the first two Tests, England are trailing 0-2 to Australia in the five-match Ashes series. The third Test will be held at Headingley from July 6.