In Short
- Pat Cummins said that Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal was within the laws
- Cummins called England Test captain Ben Stokes a world-class player
- Bairstow walked outside his crease after assuming the ball was dead
By India Today Sports DeskAustralia captain Pat Cummins backed his wicket-keeper Alex Carey for running out England’s Jonny Bairstow on Day 5 of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s, calling it “totally fair play” as “it is in law”.
At a crucial moment during the morning session, Bairstow was run out by Carey, altering the course of the game. The incident unfolded in the 52nd over of England’s innings as Bairstow and Ben Stokes sought to rebuild after the dismissal of Ben Duckett. Bairstow, under the assumption that the ball was dead, started to walk outside the crease. However, displaying remarkable awareness, Carey seized the opportunity and threw the ball directly at the striker’s end, catching Bairstow well short of his ground.
Bairstow’s visible frustration contrasted with the jubilation of the Australian team, who celebrated their successful run-out. According to 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. In this particular instance, the fielding side considered the ball to still be in play, rendering Bairstow’s dismissal valid.
“Carey saw it happen previously, it’s in the Laws, totally fair play. That’s how I saw it,” Cummins said after Australia beat England by 43 runs and secured a 2-0 lead in the five-Test series.
Reflecting on the match, Cummins added”Another wonderful game, right down to the wire. Few heart-stopping moments, the crowd seemed to enjoy it. Been a good day.”
The Australia captain also lauded his counterpart Ben Stokes for playing a sensational knock of 155. Stoke showcased his incredible talent, playing an impressive innings that could have gone down as one of the greatest in Test cricket history. Stokes’ dismissal, as he mistimed a delivery from Josh Hazlewood, left England 70 runs shy of their target of 371. With their inspirational captain absent, England eventually succumbed to the pressure and were all out for 327.
“A world-class player like Ben, at the top of his game, you start thinking the boundaries look pretty small. Not a lot in the wicket, it was tough, but I thought the way we navigated through it was good. Glad to have 200 on the board rather than 100 like at Headingley. Tried to stay patient, have the fields out for a bit. We stuck with it, happy to go at two an over,” Cummins added.
England and Australia will clash in the third Test at Leeds from July 6.
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