England Test captain Ben Stokes reacted light-heartedly to a caricature of him published on the front page of The West Australian newspaper. This follows a controversy during the second Ashes Test at Lord’s involving Jonny Bairstow’s stumping.
Bairstow, batting on 10 and building a significant partnership with Stokes, was run out by Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey as he strayed off the crease. This incident played a significant role in the match’s outcome, which Australia won, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.
The newspaper reacted to the incident by photoshopping Stokes’ head onto the body of a crying baby, complete with a pacifier in the mouth, on its front page. The headline read “Crybabies”, followed by the sub-heading “Poms take whingeing to a new level with ‘cheating’ drivel”.
Stokes, however, found humour in the situation and responded by quoting a tweet of the cover and jokingly said: “That’s definitely not me, since when did I bowl with the new ball,” a reference to the highlighted new cricket ball on the page.
That’s definitely not me, since when did I bowl with the new ball https://t.co/24wI5GzohD
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) July 3, 2023MCC Takes Action Following Altercation with Australian Players
Following the controversy during the Ashes Test, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) took stern action in response to disputes between its members and Australian players. The confrontation occurred at Lord’s on the fifth day of the second Test match, specifically over the issue of Bairstow’s run-out.
Three club members faced suspension after engaging in heated exchanges with Australian players Usman Khawaja and David Warner in the Long Room as the Australian team was heading to the dressing room for lunch.
In a statement, the MCC apologized “unreservedly” to the Australian cricket team and asserted that the suspended individuals would not be allowed back at Lord’s while the investigation is ongoing.
The MCC statement emphasized that the behaviour of these members was “completely unacceptable” and contrary to the club’s values. Although Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, did not indicate any physical altercation during the post-match press conference, the MCC stated that such behaviour is unacceptable. The club reiterated its apology to Cricket Australia and condemned the incident.
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