https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/oct/24/jonny-bairstow-reignites-ashes-row-and-accuses-australia-of-unfairness-in-field

Jonny Bairstow reignites Ashes row and accuses Australia of unfairness
in field

England wicketkeeper breaks silence on stumping incident
Bairstow claims Australia took unfair catches throughout series

Jonny Bairstow has claimed Australia took illegal catches during the
Ashes, as part of his first in-depth reflection on his controversial
stumping by Alex Carey in the second Test.

When Bairstow strayed from his crease after the final ball of an over on
the last day at Lord’s, wicketkeeper Carey lobbed the ball underarm at
the stumps.

Over had not been called, but Australia’s decision not to withdraw their
appeal led to claims from the English that the stumping, while legal,
had not been in the spirit of the game.
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The wicket stood and the Australians, verbally abused by fans and
members in the pavilion as they left for lunch, went on to win the
second Test.

The stumping incident underscored a tense drawn series that ended with
the English choosing not to open the dressing rooms to Australia for
customary post-series beers.

But Bairstow had remained quiet about the incident until the release of
extracts from Lawrence Booth and Nick Hoult’s book Bazball in The Telegraph.

“The decision was that I was out, and I moved on,” Bairstow said. “I’ve
not brought it up since. I’ve kept quiet. It’s on them. If that’s how
they want to go about it and win a cricket game or what have you, then
so be it.”

Veteran all-rounder Moeen Ali implied Australia missed the chance to
exorcise any leftover demons from the 2018 Newlands ball-tampering saga,
after which they were branded cheats.

“My view was it was out, obviously,” Ali told the authors of Bazball. “I
just thought it was a great opportunity for [captain] Pat Cummins to put
to bed a lot of the things that have happened previously.

“Not just put to bed, but take away that label they have had for a while
with ‘Sandpapergate’.”

Bairstow said there was a difference between stumping a batter sneaking
out of their crease for cynical purposes, and catching a batter unaware,
as Australia did.

“If you try to gain an advantage, then it’s fair game,” he said. “But if
you’re starting in your crease, you’ve ducked, tap, tap, scratched. I’ve
even dragged my bat, looked up, and then gone.

In message <uh7oik$3ncn6$1@dont-email.me>, FBInCIAnNSATerroristSlayer
<FBInCIAnNSATerroristSlayer@america.com> writes
>
>
>https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/oct/24/jonny-bairstow-reignites-a
>shes-row-and-accuses-australia-of-unfairness-in-field
>
>Jonny Bairstow reignites Ashes row and accuses Australia of unfairness
>in field
>
> England wicketkeeper breaks silence on stumping incident
> Bairstow claims Australia took unfair catches throughout series
>
<snip>

Apparently he was interviewed during the Oval Test for a book that
Lawrence Booth and Nick Hoult were writing about the England team under
Bazball. After initially being reluctant to talk, when they pressed him
he opened up and was quite forthcoming. The story has come out now
because, though I don't think the book has been published yet, an
extract from it has appeared in today's Daily Telegraph (Hoult is their
chief cricket correspondent).
--
John Hall
"Acting is merely the art of keeping a large group of people
from coughing."
Sir Ralph Richardson (1902-83)