After the controversial Mitchell Starc (non)catch on Day 4 of the Lord’s Test, Day 5 produced its controversial moment as Australia wicket-keeper Alex Carey ran out England batter Jonny Bairstow in circumstances that many are saying were against the Spirit of the game, yet, others point out, it’s totally in the laws.
In the first session of Day 5, as Australia continued with their short ball ploy, Jonny Bairstow ducked under a harmless, medium-paced bumper from Cameron Green. It was the last ball of the over, and Bairstow was quick to move out of the crease and started walking toward the other end, where in the middle of the pitch he and his batting partner Ben Stokes would have a chat, as usually batters do.
However, Carey was quick to react and a second after collecting the ball, and seeing Bairstow walk out of his crease. Carey threw the ball at the stumps and hit the target with Bairstow well outside his crease, unaware that Carey has ran him out. Carey was the first to start celebrating the run out before the other Aussies joined in.
Bairstow stood in the middle dumbfounded. The umpires sent it upstairs and Bairstow was given out. The catch here was that the ball was not dead and as Bairstow moved out of his crease – thinking that the ball was dead – the ball was still in play and Carey used this carelessness of Bairstow to his advantage to run the batter out.
This sparked another big debate on social media among fans. While some said that the laws allowed Carey to run Bairstow out and that the batter was reckless in moving out of the crease so quickly, others said it was against the intangiable Spirit of the game.
Here are fans’ reaction to Alex Carey’s controversial run-out of Jonny Bairstow:
Playing test cricket since 1877 still don’t know the basic cricket rules.
Yesterday Starc, Today Bairstow
And they talk about spirit of the game 😂😂😂😂pic.twitter.com/ayGXZ1eksd
— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) July 2, 2023
Lord's crowd booing the Australian team for the Jonny Bairstow run out. pic.twitter.com/DbdvmA9rm0
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 2, 2023
Carey throws that straight away. It's absolutely out. That ball is not dead, Bairstow has just dozily assumed Carey won't do what he did. Dare I say it, mankad areas.
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) July 2, 2023
#England fans are absolutely livid after that Bairstow run out.
The crowd booing the Aussies and chanting "same old Aussies, always cheating"
A gentleman next to me, who is a regular here, tells me Lord's crowd isn't usually like this.
Incredible atmosphere here!#Ashes23 pic.twitter.com/psV23Gyrwu
— Shivansh Gupta (@shivansh_sports) July 2, 2023
"Same old Aussies, always cheating" rings round Lord's following the Bairstow dismissal, unfairly as it happens given the laws as they are written. But the shame of the sandpaper is going to take a long time to be forgotten (Stu Forster) pic.twitter.com/OvNH7deVG6
— Historic Cricket Pictures (@PictureSporting) July 2, 2023
"Australia didn't warn Bairstow before running him out. This is clearly against the Spirit of Cricket. He wasn't taking advantage." – England ex-cricketers
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) July 2, 2023
Bairstow wicket, Not Out. Spirit of cricket pushed to the boundary. Not attempting a run, end of over, scratched crease then walked for the regulation BS chat between overs between batsman. #ashes #ENGvsAUS
— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) July 2, 2023
https://twitter.com/albatrosscric/status/1675471192684208128?s=20
Dreadful scenes. Not what you want to see. Against the spirit of the game.
A ‘controversial’ scenario in which the Australian cricket team are absolutely right.
Awful.
— Nick Miller (@NickMiller79) July 2, 2023
There's something called "Spirit of Cricket" @CricketAuspic.twitter.com/bL8Cm8JYky
— HUNGRY CHEETAH (@_PradeepTweets) July 2, 2023
Lord's. Spirit of cricket tactics. They are doing enough to keep the talk going.#Ashes
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) July 2, 2023
