- By Ankit Bisht
- Sun, 02 Jul 2023 06:50 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
JE Sports Desk: England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow got out in a most bizarre manner by his counterpart Alex Carey in the opening session of the ongoing second Test on Sunday.
On the final day, England started the day from 114/4 in pursuit of 371 to square off the Ashes series 1-1. The hosts suffered an early hiccup in the day as they lost overnight batter Ben Duckett for 51 runs as Josh Hazlewood scalped the first breakthrough of the day.
England suffered another massive blow when Alex Carey's game presence removed Jonny Bairstow, who was out of his crease after ducking a low bouncer. In a bizarre dismissal, Bairstow walked out of the crease following the collection of ball behind the stumps. But Carey saw the batter leaving his crease and hit the stumps to give another blow to England.
🤐🤐🤐#EnglandCricket | #Ashes pic.twitter.com/dDGCnj4qNm
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 2, 2023
Check some Twitter reactions here:
Bairstow wicket, Not Out. Spirit of cricket pushed to the boundary. Not attempting a run, end of over, scratched crease then walked for the regulation BS chat between overs between batsman. #ashes #ENGvsAUS
— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) July 2, 2023
Remember when they run Deano out of a no ball Brad? No spirit of the game then.
— 🐯keg🦊 (@1974keg) July 2, 2023
When will aussies play within the spirit of the game? Can't get him out normally so they did this
— Keshav sharma (@Keshavs111) July 2, 2023
Don't think the England team will mind it though. It's ENTERTAINING
— Tommy mood (@07bhayank183) July 2, 2023
Ben Stokes launched a blistering attack after the controversial dismissal of Bairstow as England moved on to 243-6 at lunch.
Stokes, angered when Bairstow was given out stumped by Alex Carey, struck three sixes in an over off Cameron Green to reach his century and was unbeaten on 108 at the interval with England needing another 128 to level the series.
After Ben Duckett fell for a battling 83, Bairstow had made 10 when he left his crease following a delivery from Green and wicketkeeper Alex Carey threw down the stumps.
With Bairstow out of his ground, the Australians celebrated wildly. Bairstow and Stokes looked bemused but Australia refused to withdraw the appeal and the right-hander trudged off to loud boos around the ground.
Stokes, clearly fired up to play another match-winning innings as he did in the 2019 Ashes, went on the attack.
He was dropped by Pat Cummins on 77, a hard caught-and-bowled chance, before his stunning assault on Green brought up his 13th test century off 142 balls.
Duckett and Stokes had batted cautiously after England resumed on 121-4, milking singles from the predominantly short-pitched bowling they faced.
(With Reuters inputs)