"Don’t think you can have too many arguments about that side of it" - Ollie Robinson on Jonny Bairstow's dismissal within the laws
England fast bowler Ollie Robinson said that Jonny Bairstow's dismissal in the second Ashes Test at Lord's was within the laws, and there cannot be too many arguments over it.
With England batting at 193/5 in the second innings, Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey directed a hit at the striker's end, as Bairstow wandered out of his crease after ducking a Cameron Green bouncer.
Bairstow was ruled out stumped by third umpire Marais Erasmus and it sparked a debate in the cricketing world about the legitimacy of the dismissal.
Best vision of the Carey/Bairstow stumping.
Stokes hadn’t even returned to his crease at the non-striker’s end yet.
Lunacy from Bairstow.
#Ashes https://t.co/qZVnw27P4p
Writing in his column for Wisden.com, Ollie Robinson explained that his teammates' dismissal was within the rulebook. He wrote:
"That’s not the way that we want to play, or the way that we want to win games of cricket. But at the same time, laws are there to be played to and the fact that the laws state it’s out, I don’t think you can have too many arguments about that side of it."
Robinson added:
"Jonny wasn’t attempting a run, he wasn’t trying to get any advantage, but they’d obviously seen something and I’ve read a few comments that they’d seen him do it a few balls before."
"The question is about the spirit of the game" - Ollie Robinson
There were many voices in England to invoke the 'Spirit of the Game' morale while showing their dissent against Jonny Bairstow's stumping.
England head coach Brendon McCullum, captain Ben Stokes and senior pacer Stuart Broad led the tone against Australia's stand to uphold their appeal. Expressing his views on the Spirit of the game concept, Robinson mentioned:
"The question is about the spirit of the game but it’s such a vital point in the game and sometimes emotions can get the better of people, and in such a big series I think it’s understandable."
England and Australia will play the third Ashes Test from Thursday, July 6, at Headingley in Leeds. The tourists are just one win shy from their first Ashes series triumph in England since 2001.