British, Australian prime ministers wade into Ashes row
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Australia players celebrating the wicket of England's Jonny Bairstow, stumped by Australia's Alex Carey in the second Ashes Test at Lord's.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – The British and Australian prime ministers have traded verbal bouncers after a controversial Test match between the two sides that has rocked the usually genteel world of cricket.
Amid allegations of bad sportsmanship, cheating and verbal abuse after Australia took a 2-0 Ashes Series lead on Sunday, political leaders have now waded in.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak fired first, sending a spokesman out to decry the dismissal of English batsman Jonny Bairstow – who was stumped during what he appeared to think was a pause in play.
Bairstow’s dismissal was just not cricket, the spokesman suggested. “The prime minister agrees with (England captain) Ben Stokes, who said he simply wouldn’t want to win a game in the manner that Australia did,” he added.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a keen cricket fan, shot back that he was “proud” of Australia’s “men’s and women’s cricket teams, who have both won their opening two Ashes matches against England”.
“Same old Aussies – always winning!” he added. “(I) look forward to welcoming them home victorious.”
Former England captain Geoffrey Boycott, however, has called for Australia to apologise.
“Australia need to have a think about what they did and make a full public apology,” the 82-year-old wrote in the Daily Telegraph. “That is the way to go. Let’s see over the next few days if they are man enough to do that.”
Mr Sunak – who is also a cricket fan and watched with Prince William from the Lord’s pavilion on Saturday – did deplore abuse directed at the Australians by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) members.
Three individuals have had their MCC membership suspended pending an investigation.
“He thinks it was right that the MCC have taken swift action to suspend any members accused of poor behaviour,” the spokesman said.
Mr Sunak, though, has no intention of lodging an official protest with Mr Albanese, to reprise the serious diplomatic strains created by England’s “Bodyline” tactics in the infamous 1932-33 Ashes Down Under.
While there is a “friendly rivalry” over sport between the two leaders, Mr Sunak does not view cricket as a core diplomatic issue, the spokesman remarked.
“The game did provide an opportunity to see Ben Stokes at his best and it was an incredible Test match – he has confidence that England will bounce back,” he added, after Stokes hit a blazing 155 in his second innings despite his side falling 44 runs short of victory.
The third Test gets under way at Headingley on Thursday, with Australia aiming to secure a much-coveted Ashes win away from home. AFP
