The Jonny Bairstow run-out on the final day of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s has become one of the most talked about topics in the cricketing fraternity off-lately. The incident has led to some strong reactions and has sparked an intense debate among cricket freaks all around the world.
The controversial run-out made a huge impact on the game as England lost the game by 43 runs despite a sensational 153-run knock from the captain Ben Stokes.
The run-out took place in the 52nd over of England’s innings as Bairstow and Ben Stokes sought to rebuild after the dismissal of Ben Duckett. Jonny Bairstow assumed that the ball was dead, and started to walk outside the crease. However, displaying remarkable awareness, keeper Carey seized the opportunity and threw the ball directly at the striker’s end, catching Jonny Bairstow well short of his ground.
The dismissal has divided the cricket fraternity into two as there are many who felt that the run-out was against the spirit of the game.
Rishi Sunak Has Expressed His Disappointment Over Jonny Bairstow’s Run-Out
Meanwhile, amidst all the debate and drama, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has also expressed his disappointment over the incident. He was clearly not happy with the manner of dismissal and hence slammed the visitors for going against the ‘spirit of cricket’.
“The prime minister agrees with Ben Stokes. He said he simply wouldn’t want to win a game in the manner Australia did. The game did provide an opportunity to see Ben Stokes at his best and it was an incredible Test match and he has confidence England will bounce back at Headingley,” Sunak’s spokesperson told media, reports The Guardian.
For the unversed, after the game, Ben Stokes expressed his disappointment over the game-changing incident. He said:
“If the shoe was on the other foot I would have put more pressure on the umpires and asked whether they had called over and had a deep think about the whole spirit of the game. Would I want to win a game in that manner? The answer for me is no,”
What does the rule say?
As per the MCC’s Laws of Cricket, particularly law 20.1.2, the ball is considered dead when both the fielding side and the batter at the wicket no longer regard it as in play. However, in this particular case, the fielding side considered the ball to still be in play and dismissed Bairstow.
