"What they hope above all, though, is that the controversy over the Bairstow stumping will galvanize their players" - Michael Atherton
Michael Atherton believes that the England faithful will be hoping for the squad to use the uproar or sense of injustice over Jonny Bairstow's dismissal as fuel for the remainder of the Ashes series. The hosts are currently trailing 2-0 in the five-match affair and are in dire need of an inspired performance to make their way back in the rubber.
The incident surrounding Jonny Bairstow has been well-documented since the culmination of the Lord's Test. The incident has not shown any signs of dying down as both captains were confronted about it during their media briefing ahead of the third match. Moreover, the hostile crowd at Headingley, Leeds, will also not fail to remind the Australians of their deed.
Expecting the fired-up spirits of the players to overcome the small margins, Atherton wrote in his column for the Times:
"What they hope above all, though, is that the controversy over the Bairstow stumping will galvanize their players to the extent that the small margins that meant Australia prevailed in the first two matches are overcome."
Noting that both teams will require thick skin to handle the inevitable hostile atmosphere, the former England captain continued:
"It is impossible to say how, or if at all, the post-Lord’s hubbub will affect either side, but the atmosphere will be such that the strongest characters and coolest heads will prevail."
England have had victory in sight across both Tests so far, but have failed to make it to the finish line. The Ben Stokes-led side lost the series opener by two wickets and the most recent Lord's Test by 43 runs.
"When the prime ministers of both countries dive in, then you know the issue has cut through" - Michael Atherton
The severity of the controversial Jonny Bairstow dismissal spilled from the confines of the ground almost immediately. Tensions were high, with Usman Khawaja even being confronted by MCC members in the iconic Long Room at Lord's.
United Kingdom's prime minister Rishi Sunak also had a say in the matter as he sided with Ben Stokes and maintained the 'Spirit of Cricket' narrative. Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, however, defended Pat Cummins and Co.'s actions with a tweet in response to his English counterpart's thoughts.
Noting that the incident has cut through like none before, Atherton wrote:
"The Ashes has run the gamut of controversies, from sledging and chucking to bouncers and beyond, but no story in recent times, perhaps, has fed into so many strands of our shared cricketing history. When the prime ministers of both countries dive in, then you know the issue has cut through."
Opining that the paltry three-day break between the second and the third Test is not enough to heal the wounds, Atherton mentioned:
"Battle lines drawn and redrawn; everybody may be keen to move on but the schedule has conspired to ensure that won’t happen. For a start, unlike between the first two Tests, the gap here has been the minimal three days, meaning feelings are still running hot with comment having barely died down."
The third Ashes Test will commence on Thursday, July 6, onwards at Headingley, Leeds.