Whereas Alex Carey’s stumping to dismiss Jonny Bairstow continues to divide the opinions of the cricket world, the Australian wicket keeper was rewarded in the team with the duty to sing ‘Under the Southern Cross’, the victory song of Australia’s cricket team, a tradition started by the legendary wicketkeeper, Rod Marsh. Carey, who has been effervescent behind the stumps all through the Ashes, gets the prestigious duty after regular song-master Nathan Lyon was ruled out of the series due to an injury.
The move surely would antagonize the England cricketers and crowd as they head to Leeds for the third Test. Australia’s captain Pat Cummins pledged to protect Carey. “There’s nothing like loud crowds that bring a team together. He’s one of the guys we’ll get around But these kinds of moments can really strengthen a side. I thought ‘Kez’ (Carey) has had another fantastic game, he’s broken some records … he’s been fantastic behind the wickets. We’ll look after him,’ he said.
Security shored up
Meanwhile, in the aftermath of these incidents, the security for the Headingley Test would be bolstered, says The Mirror. “Discussions have already been had between the club and West Yorkshire Police to ensure that the plans in place are robust enough to deal with any potential trouble. The reaction of the Lord’s crowd to the Aussies on Sunday was hostile and abusive with three Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) members having their membership suspended for their behaviour in the pavilion,” it reported.
The Headingley crowd, traditionally, has been hostile and it happens to be Bairstow’s home ground. “If the Aussies thought they got a rough ride in the Long Room after their sharp practice to dismiss Jonny Bairstow, just wait until the chaps from Bash Street find their voices on Headingley’s famously articulate Western Terrace on Thursday,” Mile Walters wrote in the same paper.
The Western Terrace has been notorious for drunken fights. Last year, the game was briefly suspended after a brawl broke out between two England fans during the Test against New Zealand. Commentator and former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull was heard saying on Sky Sports: “Bit of biffo on the Western Terrace there.”
According to the news outlet i, Australian players are being told to be extra vigilant when dining out at restaurants or going to bars during the remainder of the Ashes. Two years ago, a ball was thrown at India seamer Mohammed Siraj when he was fielding at fine-leg. Back in 1996, after ugly scenes in a Test against Pakistan, the stadium’s international status was under threat as well.
There is also the threat of Just Stop Oil protesters invading the pitch. “The well-being of players, officials and spectators is paramount, and we are implementing appropriate measures to do everything within our control to keep everyone safe,” a spokesperson for the county told the PA news agency.
The fracas in the Lord’s Long Room has further escalated the tension between the sides. “Clearly, some incidents at Lord’s have heightened the interest and exposure of the third Test. We will continue to work closely with both the England and Wales Cricket Board and West Yorkshire Police to ensure our safety measures are proportionate for this fixture. The Ashes is a truly special occasion, and we want everybody visiting Headingley to have an incredible time watching first-class cricket at our iconic venue.”
Both captains are certain of the hostility raking up in Headingley.
“I definitely think it’s going to be ramped up,” he said. “Australia have had their past and have come here a few times since and I think they’re all used to the English crowd,” England captain Stokes said.
“When we go to Australia we get lambasted as well. Look, I think that’s part of the sport we play. You get thousands of people who want their team to win and they’ll just jump on something. We get it in Australia: 90,000 Australians at the MCG all cursing at you. It’s part of the job,” he added
The animosity would only fuel them, said his counterpart Cummins. There’s nothing like loud crowds that brings the team together. “It seems like every Ashes has some drama to it – even one-sided Ashes in the past, things get stoked up halfway through a series. It just feels like you’ve got two old rivals who are playing against each other. Is it going to change anything? I don’t think so.”
Rest assured that the Headingley Test would have a lot of action and drama off the field too.
Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.
