Things got a bit out of control of the security and officials in the Lord’s long room soon after Lunch was called on Day 5 of the second Ashes 2023 Test, at Lord’s.
The Lord’s crowd was as raucous as it has never been following the controversial run-out of Jonny Bairstow by Alex Carey in the first session of Day 5. After that, the crowd really got into the game, and soon skipper Ben Stokes started to clatter some fours and sixes to arose the crowd even more.
After Lunch was called, with the crowd still buzzing, there was an incident in the Lord’s long room between the MCC members seated (standing at that point) and two Australian players – David Warner and Usman Khawaja. As the Australian players made their way into the Lord’s long room, heading up the first floor for Lunch, the boos continued and David Warner and Usman Khawaja got involved in a heated altercation with the MCC members.
The video of this has gone viral on social media.
Here, watch: David Warner, Usman Khawaja’s heated quarrel with Lord’s crowd
Australia vs crowd – absolute scenes in Lord's. pic.twitter.com/TZ8JhIyrQp
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 2, 2023
Meanwhile, the reports have come that Cricket Australia (CA) have filed a complaint and have requested the MCC to look into the matter. CA alleged that some members of the MCC verbally abused the Australian players and even got in physical contact with a couple of them.
“Australian management has requested the MCC investigate several incidents involving spectators in the members area…it is alleged players and staff from the Australian team were verbally abused, with some being physically contacted,” as reported by Code Sports.
Former cricketers also took note of this incident and made their comments. “You don’t like seeing that from the members,” said Mark Taylor.
“It’s got a little bit nasty at times. What’s coming from the crowd is quite vicious from the Australians,” says former Test batsman Callum Ferguson.
