"It is always out" - Pat Cummins takes strong stance on Jonny Bairstow stumping saga during Ashes 2023

This stumping incident stirred considerable controversy, with certain individuals viewing it as contrary to the spirit of the game.

By Chandra Moulee Das Updated: Aug 24, 2023, 18:21 IST

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Jonny Bairstow experienced an eventful Ashes campaign, making frequent appearances in the news for various reasons. The one incident that garnered significant attention was his contentious dismissal during the second Test at Lord's.

During the Lord's Test, a pivotal incident happened in the fourth innings when Bairstow took the crease. He joined skipper Ben Stokes as England were in pursuit of a daunting target of 371 on Day 5 and The Three Lions desperately needed a partnership from the duo. However, Bairstow's departure happened in a peculiar manner.

After judging a short ball from Cameron Green, Bairstow casually stepped out of the crease after assuming the ball was no longer in play. However, the Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey remained alert and executed an underarm throw, striking the stumps before Bairstow could regain his ground. This stumping incident stirred considerable controversy, with certain individuals viewing it as contrary to the spirit of the game. In a recent interview, Australian captain Pat Cummins acknowledged that this method of dismissal was not unfamiliar to him.

Aussie players faced staunch criticism

I haven't experienced anything like that before.... but I will say across my career, I've seen that type of dismissal at least 20 times, and it is always out," the fast bowler said on Channel Seven's Sunrise.

Subsequent to Bairstow's unexpected departure, the Australian players encountered jeers from the crowd as they made their way through the Long room during the lunch break. Usman Khawaja and David Warner were also spotted engaging in a heated exchange with the spectators.

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"Davey [Warner] and Ussie [Khawaja] went back at a few of the members following some comments, it was getting pretty heated. I got the gossip from the other guys, then we all took a deep breath and looked to stay composed. We had a break, and then re-set," said Cummins.

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