Ashes 2023: Australian spinner Nathan Lyon has revealed that there was a heated exchange between players from both sides in the lunchroom at Lord’s over Jonny Bairstow’s controversial stumping.
The incident occurred on the third day of the second Ashes Test, when Bairstow was given out after leaving his crease early and being run out by Alex Carey. The dismissal sparked a debate about the spirit of cricket, with some arguing that it was a fair call while others felt that it was too aggressive.
In an interview with the Willow Talk Cricket Podcast, Lyon said that he tried to calm things down in the lunchroom, but that there were “a few words here or there” between the players.
“I was in the change room and I just erupted,” Lyon said. “I was like ‘how good. Suck eggs.’ I was pretty happy with it.”
Lyon said that he had no issues with the way that Bairstow was dismissed, and that he felt that the English players were simply trying to justify their anger.
“They were trying to justify why they were so angry,” Lyon said. “But it was a good stumping, and that’s all there is to it.”
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The stumping of Jonny Bairstow by Alex Carey in the second Ashes Test at Lord’s has been the subject of much debate, with some people arguing that it was a legitimate dismissal, while others believe that it was against the spirit of the game.
Those who believe that the dismissal was legitimate argue that Bairstow was out of his crease and that Carey was entitled to stump him. They point out that the laws of cricket do not specify that the ball must be dead before a stumping can be effected.
Those who believe that the dismissal was against the spirit of the game argue that Bairstow had walked back to his crease after the ball was bowled, and that Carey should have waited until the umpire called “over” before stumping him. They also argue that Carey’s actions were unsportsmanlike.
The debate over the Bairstow stumping has divided opinion, with some people calling for Carey to be banned from cricket, while others have defended his actions. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has said that it will not be taking any action against Carey, as the dismissal was within the laws of the game.
The incident is the latest in a series of controversies to have marred the Ashes series. In the first Test, England’s Stuart Broad was fined for calling Australia’s Cameron Bancroft a “f***ing cheat”. And in the second Test, Australia’s Steve Smith was accused of ball tampering.
The Ashes series is now evenly poised at 1-1, with the third Test to be played at Headingley starting on Wednesday.