'If you'll wander out of your crease...': Australia great's brutal '10 ways to get out' reminder to Bairstow, McCullum
England despite admitting the wicket was within the laws of cricket have failed to digest it, citing the moment to be against the spirit of cricket.
It has been over a day since the second Ashes Test between England and Australia at Lord's, which the latter won by 43 runs. However, the talks surrounding Jonny Bairstow's dismissal, which arguably was within the laws of the game, remains the most discussed among fans and ex-cricketers. England despite admitting the same have failed to digest it, citing the moment to be against the spirit of cricket.
The talks have not just been limited to fans, cricketers or the ex-cricketers but even the prime ministers of both countries have coined their views on the subject.
Amidst all the hullabaloo, ex-Australian skipper Mark Taylor in his column for Sydney Morning Herald feels it is the batter's duty to remain behind the crease, reminding stumping to be a legal mode of dismissal as per the laws of the game.
However, the fashion in which Bairstow was dismissed has led to difference in opinion. Few have argued it was fair, while a section felt otherwise.
Also Read | ‘England just didn’t like it': Legendary umpire Simon Taufel passes verdict on Jonny Bairstow's controversial dismissal
"The batsmen have to remember there are 10 ways to get out in Test cricket. One of them is by being stumped, and it doesn't say in the laws it has to be off a slow bowler. If you're going to wander out of your crease doing whatever you want to do, be mindful that you can be stumped," wrote Taylor in his column.
"So, your job as a batsman is to get back in your crease until the ball is dead."
Taylor added that stumping has been legal in the sport since the time he has known or played cricket and backed the Australian unit despite the intense “spirit of cricket” talks on social media.
"I've got no issue at all with what Pat Cummins and the Australian team did during the last day of the Lord's Test when they stumped Jonny Bairstow.
"It's a legitimate form of dismissal and has been as long as I've known the game of cricket. I've seen many wicketkeepers throwing the ball towards the stumps to try and claim an unsuspecting batsman's wicket."
Taylor then highlighted Bairstow of doing the same earlier in the Test. "Jonny Bairstow found himself on the receiving end of a controversial stumping, but two days earlier tried to pull one off himself -- the incident drawing parallels with England head coach Brendon McCullum when he stumped Paul Collingwood."
The incident Taylor referred took place in the ICC Champions Trophy 2009, when McCullum threw the ball at the stumps as Collingwood walked out of his crease after the final ball of an over. Here is the video:
"I can remember Rod Marsh throwing the ball towards the stumps off Dennis Lillee's bowling, Ian Healy did the same thing when a batsman was out of his crease, we've seen Jonny Bairstow do it in the latest Test, I've seen footage of England coach Brendon McCullum doing it back in 2009. This sort of stuff has been going on for a long time," added Taylor.
Taylor also spoke about the ill-treatment the Australian cricketers faced following the incident. Chants of “cheat” engulfed the stadium, and footage of Usman Khawaja and David Warner getting into a heated discussion with members of the MCC went viral on social media.
“I'm disappointed with the way the Australian players were treated after completing this entirely legitimate dismissal, particularly in the Long Room (at Lord's). I will congratulate Guy Lavender, CEO of the MCC, for getting onto it reasonably quickly, calming down the MCC members and suspending three of them. However, I think that's the minimum amount they need to do at this stage.”