Regarding Philip's thoughts on ethics and the "spirit of the game".
I tend to agree in part that there is, and should be, a "spirit".
It's just that in this case I don't think spirit has anything much to do with it.
I don't think England can claim high moral ground on this one.
After watching the incident on replay several times and then sleeping it while gathering my thoughts, I have concluded that if Bairstow was a better cricketer none of this tempest would be blowing.
He was clearly out, it was a bad piece of cricketing on his behalf, made worse by the information that he himself tried the very same maneuver against Marnus Labuschagne, in this very test, if he were a better cricketer, he would have pulled off that maneuver, no doubt to the congratulations of his team, also if he were a better cricketer he wouldn't have been out of his ground in the first place.
I read one of the wittier takes on the whole situation, from an English writer, and I paraphrase a little, "The spirit of the game seems to revolve around letting English players continue to bat even after they are given out".
Excuse me, sir. I doubt it was just the members having “a few words” with the Australian team in the long room. If Khawaja, the nicest and calmest man in cricket, was responding as he was then there must have been something more to it. He is not a man who is easily agitated.
The Aussies have form with this sort of thing? Bairstow tried the same tactic with Marnus Labuschagne and David Warner - the difference being that the Australians weren’t silly enough to leave their crease when the ball was in play. It was Stuart Broad who refused to walk after being caught out in 2013. It was England who were happy to win the WTC on a technicality. England's current coach, when he was wicketkeeping for New Zealand, has made run-outs in similar circumstances to Carey’s stumping of Bairstow.
Was it in the spirit of the game when the English bowlers were hurling bouncers at the injured Nathan Lyon a couple of days ago?
I'm afraid we're in for a lot of boring cricket now. Unless they produce different wickets there will be plenty of short pitched stuff from both sides. Cummins is no different to any other Australian captain. They always revert to type when the game gets tight. Ask Brian Lara.
Regarding Philip's thoughts on ethics and the "spirit of the game".
I tend to agree in part that there is, and should be, a "spirit".
It's just that in this case I don't think spirit has anything much to do with it.
I don't think England can claim high moral ground on this one.
After watching the incident on replay several times and then sleeping it while gathering my thoughts, I have concluded that if Bairstow was a better cricketer none of this tempest would be blowing.
He was clearly out, it was a bad piece of cricketing on his behalf, made worse by the information that he himself tried the very same maneuver against Marnus Labuschagne, in this very test, if he were a better cricketer, he would have pulled off that maneuver, no doubt to the congratulations of his team, also if he were a better cricketer he wouldn't have been out of his ground in the first place.
I read one of the wittier takes on the whole situation, from an English writer, and I paraphrase a little, "The spirit of the game seems to revolve around letting English players continue to bat even after they are given out".
Indeed.
Excuse me, sir. I doubt it was just the members having “a few words” with the Australian team in the long room. If Khawaja, the nicest and calmest man in cricket, was responding as he was then there must have been something more to it. He is not a man who is easily agitated.
The Aussies have form with this sort of thing? Bairstow tried the same tactic with Marnus Labuschagne and David Warner - the difference being that the Australians weren’t silly enough to leave their crease when the ball was in play. It was Stuart Broad who refused to walk after being caught out in 2013. It was England who were happy to win the WTC on a technicality. England's current coach, when he was wicketkeeping for New Zealand, has made run-outs in similar circumstances to Carey’s stumping of Bairstow.
Was it in the spirit of the game when the English bowlers were hurling bouncers at the injured Nathan Lyon a couple of days ago?
Had Stokes recreated Headingley, he could have been made Lord Stokes of Lords.
We threw both tests away, truth be known. And whilst "'we'd rather lose than draw..." may be terribly whatever, it's THE BLOODY ASHES.
I'm afraid we're in for a lot of boring cricket now. Unless they produce different wickets there will be plenty of short pitched stuff from both sides. Cummins is no different to any other Australian captain. They always revert to type when the game gets tight. Ask Brian Lara.