England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow’s contentious dismissal hogged the spotlight in Australia's win in the second Ashes Test at Lord's on Sunday (July 2).
Just before the lunch break on the final day, Bairstow got out in a bizarre manner. He wandered out of his crease after ducking a bouncer from Cameron Green and Alex Carey stumped him out.
The dismissal has sparked the Spirit of Cricket argument all over again, and former England opener Geoffrey Boycott asked the Australian team to issue a public apology over the incident.
In his column for The Telegraph, Boycott slammed Australia’s decision to not withdraw the appeal, saying that such calls shouldn't stand if the batter isn't trying to take unfair advantage.
“If you want to win at all costs then cricket should not be for you. We want people to play hard and fair but surely there are standards to uphold. When batsmen are not trying to take an advantage then you should not follow the letter of the law. Apply some common sense. If a batsman is trying to pinch some ground, as in a Mankad situation, then that is different. But Jonny was not trying to steal a run,” Boycott wrote.
The England legend advised the touring Australian side to make a public apology so that everyone can move on from the incident.
“Australia need to have a think about what they did and make a fulsome public apology. That way it will redress the situation and everyone can then move on.
“Australia have now had time to think about what happened. We all make mistakes in the heat of the moment. People will think better of the Australians if they put their hands up and say ‘we got it wrong’. That is the way to go. Let’s see over the next few days if they are man enough to do that.”
According to law 20.1.2 of the MCC’s Laws of Cricket: “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.”
While Carey was well within his rights to hit the stumps, England skipper Ben Stokes said he would not have preferred a win with the kind of dismissal that led to Bairstow’s departure.
"When is it justified that the umpires have called over? Is the on-field umpires making movement, is that enough to call over? I'm not sure. Jonny was in his crease then out of his crease. I am not disputing the fact it is out because it is out," Stokes told the BBC after England’s 43-run defeat at Lord’s
He added: "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."
The third Ashes Test will be played at Headingley from July 6.
