The Ashes: Pat Cummins hooks 'underarm' googly for six, brushes aside Bairstow brewhaha
AUSTRALIA CAPTAIN Pat Cummins expertly handled the British media at a press conference when he was pressed on the "controversial" stumping of Johny Bairstow.
In the second Ashes test that Australia won by 43 runs, Bairstow stepped out of the crease after a delivery was bowled and the wicket-keeper promptly took the bails off; in a form of dismissal that's unofficially referred to as a 'Mankad.'
Deepti Sharma showed the way.
— TFG (@thefangarage) July 2, 2023
#Ashes23 #Mankading #Lordspic.twitter.com/6osKVq16xe
Although fairly within the rules of the sport, many believe it to be against the 'spirit of cricket.' Many of the spectators present at Lords for the test match, including MCC members, made their displeasure known to the Australian team afterwards. In the media, there has been a constant, raging debate about the ethics of dismissals like this.
The MCC members at #Lords shout insults at the Australian team in an apparent demonstration of the 'Spirit of Cricket'#Ashes23 #TheAshes #Mankadingpic.twitter.com/frEPDxNtJf
— TFG (@thefangarage) July 2, 2023
The Australian players, however, have maintained a good humour about the situation throughout all this and when Cummins was asked by a British journalist that whether there would be more Mankads or 'underarm bowling' in the series going forward, he quickly replied,
"Depends on how flat the wickets get. It might be a helpful alternative."
"Do you believe in the spirit of cricket"
— TFG (@thefangarage) July 3, 2023
"Yep"
"Are we in danger of seeing underarm bowling?"
"Depends on how flat the wickets get"
Pat Cummins playing googlies better than Sunil Gavaskar at #TheAshes press conference...#ENGvsAUS #Ashes23 pic.twitter.com/EBiOGIdEwi
His reply caused a round of laughter in the room and fans on social media are also having a good time with it.
The mention of "underarm" bowling, of course, is a reference to the infamous 1981 incident when Australian captain Greg Chappell instructed his younger brother and bowler Trevor Chappell to bowl an underarm delivery on the last ball of an ODI against New Zealand to make sure they don't tie the game by hitting a six. The incident back then had sparked similar discussions about the 'spirit of cricket' being violated by the Australian team.
However, given by how the majority of the fans have dismissed the accusations against the Australian team, it seems to be becoming an increasingly outdated argument to make in an era of cut-throat competitive cricket.
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