"I don't think a conversation about the spirit of cricket even comes into a dismissal like that" - Pat Cummins on the raging debate after Lord's Test
Australia skipper Pat Cummins has defended his team's actions that led to Jonny Bairstow's dismissal in the fourth innings of the Lord's Test. The England camp has voiced their displeasure over the controversial nature of the dismissal, even bringing the infamous 'Spirit of Cricket' narrative into it.
Bairstow was stumped by Alex Carey off Cameron Green's bowling after he ventured out of the crease while the ball was still in play. The dismissal did change the course of the match, which Australia ended up winning by 43 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Admitting that he fails to understand how such a normal and routine dismissal is still being debated, Cummins told reporters ahead of the third Test in Leeds:
"For what I think is a pretty common, non-event it does seem like everyone has a pretty strong opinion about it. I'm a bit surprised about how big it's been but that's the Ashes, the littlest thing tends to be a moment where everyone likes to show their patriotism."
Dismissing the possibility of the 'Spirit of Cricket' being valid in such circumstances, Cummins continued:
"I don't think a conversation about the spirit of cricket even comes into a dismissal like that.It was plain and simple a stumping. Everyone that has played cricket and knows cricket, you just see it as that, end of story. I don't think there's any discussion, it's out."
Cummins added that he would have accepted such a dismissal had it happened to him.
"If the shoe was on the other foot, I wouldn't be looking at the opposition, I'd probably be looking at our own batter and would be thinking it's pretty silly," he elaborated.
England skipper Ben Stokes mentioned during the post-match presentation at Lord's that he would have withdrawn the appeal if the roles were reversed.
Cummins and the Australian camp defended his team's actions back then and have maintained a similar stance heading into the next match as well.
"I'm really proud of how our boys have conducted themselves this tour" - Pat Cummins
Australia did not have to wait for the backlash to be heard by their rivals as Lord's turned hostile. The players were subjected to a loud chorus of jeers throughout the remainder of the match, with Usman Khawaja targetted in a verbal altercation in the iconic long room during the lunch break.
Cummins felt his team dealt with the fallout in the right manner.
"I'm really proud of how our boys have conducted themselves this tour, especially on that day five (at Lord's). I thought the way they maintained respect for the opposition, the umpires, and the crowd, their dignity was first-class," he said.
"We've had an amazing tour so far, there's so much that this group should be really proud of. I think when we look forward to this game (at Headingley), that will be the message I'll be giving," Cummins continued.
The two teams will next face each other at Headingley, Leeds, for the third Test of the series. Expecting a hostile crowd who will look to make life difficult for the Australians over the course of the five days, Cummins said:
"I'm expecting the crowd to be pretty hostile, but I think that'd be the case no matter what happened. I'm sure it'll be a pretty fiery week from the crowd, but again, we're on the field. The crowd really doesn't affect what we're trying to do."
Cummins concluded by expressing his surprise at England head coach Brendon McCullum's comments post the Lord's Test match.
"I've got no problems at all with 'Baz' (McCullum). I know how much he loves a beer, so that was surprising," the Aussie skipper stated.
The duo have worked together in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the past when the pacer was contracted with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the franchise where Brendon McCullum assumed the title of head coach.
The former New Zealand captain had stated that it will be a while before the England camp can view their Australian counterparts as friends, even off the field.