If that test had’ve been at Edgbaston or Headingley would there have been a pitch invasion ? I very much doubt it but the reaction from the Lords crowd was more volatile than I can recall .
We lost fair and square. Plenty are happy with another loss as they were "entertained" but I'd prefer us to have more of a backbone and win even if it's deemed a bit more boring.
Let's be honest, if positions were reversed and Stokes had acted like Cummings then no one would have complained. It would have been great to have a captain that's out there to win etc etc. Oh and Stokes didn't say he wouldn't have done it, just that he'd think about it! Diplomatic from our captain imo
Nope I certainly would've still complained. There's winning and there's that. The infamous underarm bowling in the 80s is another example of something technically being in the laws of the game but being very unsportsmanlike. Another example is a bowler pretending to bowl but instead stumping the batsman at the none striking end. All are terrible examples of sportsmanship but are within the laws of the game.
Didn’t see the Stokes interview but he chose the ever diplomatic “ no comment no comment no comment “ approach by saying he’d think about it I guess
Nonsense. If Stokes did say he would not have accepted that wicket then he's a fool. Atherton and Strauss both said it was fine and they would have done the same. Though maybe Atherton took that view because he has something of a history when it comes to actual cheating in the game.
Squad for third test named. Potts and Ahmed dropped, otherwise unchanged. The 11 that played the second test plus Lawrence, Wood, Woakes and Ali. Persisting with Bairstow behind the stumps then. Can’t see anything other than 3-0 incoming
Atherton only got told off as far as I recall ( or maybe a fine ). I do remember Sir Geoffrey wanting him sacking from the game. Sorry but these facts aren’t totally relevant but commentators nowadays are frightened to be slightly controversial. I’m pretty certain that Bumble would have said that it wasn’t in the spirit of the game to enforce Bairstow’s stumping . Botham as well
I think you're wrong there, to be honest (and I don't often think that!). Feels like a cheap way to win, and I'd 100% be saying that if the tables were turned.
Have a look at the umpire, he's putting something in his pocket or something, he thinks the over is finished. He should have intervened, very poor from the umps there.
you want to take a cheap shot to win, that’s up to you , I’ve always played hard to win but wouldn’t sink that low.you obviously would
You play to win. Australia won and like it or not didn't break any rules. The comments coming out of the England camp about it are embarrassing and a bad case of sour grapes from a group that expected Bazball to blow them away.
You can want England to win but still see the wider picture. Using sandpaper = cheating. Bodyline, against the spirit of the game.. The stumping was given out by an independent umpire, so let's stop being whinging poms about it and concentrate on winning the last 3 tests!
Let's fight fire with fire. Next test I'd like to see the England players smash their own wickets one after the other, no attempt to score. Hand a pyrrhic victory to the Aussies. So long as that is within the rules of the game of course.