Ashes animosity prompts prime ministers to weigh in on furore

It's official - the emerging Ashes animosity between Australia and England has resulted in prime-ministerial intervention. Anthony Albanese and British counterpart Rishi Sunak have both weighed in on the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow in the second Ashes Test at Lord's, the latter seconding Ben Stokes' suggestion that the home side would never have taken a wicket in such a fashion.

Such has the outcry been after Jonny Bairstow was stumped by Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey in England's second innings that Sunak felt compelled, through a spokesman, to agree with Stokes comments saying he wouldn't want to win a Test the way Australia did. Former England star Geoffrey Boycott even called for Australia to make a 'fulsome' public apology.

TOUCHY: Stuart Broad swipes Aussie 'cultural change' after Ashes controversy

'MIGHT BE AN OPTION': Pat Cummins shuts down journo over Ashes furore

Pat Cummins has fended off suggestions the Australians will embrace Mankads and underarm bowling in the remaining three Tests, and appears to have the full support of Australian PM Albanese. He took to Twitter on Tuesday to declare his pride that both the men's and women's teams had taken the lead in their respective series.

"Same old Aussies, always winning," he quipped, in reference to the chants of 'cheats' directed at the Aussies in the wake of Bairstow's dismissal. His counterpart Sunak however, echoed Ben Stokes' suggestion that England would never have resorted to such a tactic - despite clearly having sone so several times earlier in the Test without success.

“The prime minister agrees with Ben Stokes who said he simply wouldn’t want to win a game in the manner that Australia did,” Sunak's spokesman said. He added that the MCC was right to suspend three members who were involved in an ugly confrontation with Australian opener Usman Khawaja in the club's famed 'Long Room'.

Speaking after the game, England coach Brendon McCullum suggested he and his players would be unlikely to share a beer with their rivals after the series. The former New Zealand wicketkeeper said the Aussie wicket was at odds with the 'spirit of the game'.

“When you become older and more mature, you realise the game and the spirit of it is something you need to protect,” McCullum said. “You have to make decisions in the moment, and they can have effects on games and people’s characters.

“By the letter of the law, he is out. Jonny was not trying to take a run. It is one of those difficult ones to swallow and you look at the small margins, it is incredibly disappointing.

“But lots of people will have their opinion on both sides of the fence. The most disappointing thing is that it will be the most talked about event of a great Test match.”

Second Ashes Test ends in controversy, Aussies up 2-0

The controversial Bairstow wicket came the day after Australia's Mitchell Starc had a sensational catch waved away after a divisive interpretation of the rules from third umpire Marais Erasmus. Ben Duckett would have been out for 50 when Starc caught him at the boundary line, but slid forward on his knees, bracing himself with the ball.

Stokes appealed for the catch to be reviewed, and upon replay Starc was determined not to have been in control of his body, making the catch void. Duckett went on to score 83, crucial runs as England's run chase ultimately fell agonisingly short.

Cummins was asked by Daily Mirror sports writer Mike Walter whether he believed in or if there was such a thing as the 'spirit of cricket' - to which Cummins simply replied, 'yes'.

Evidently not satisfied with Cummins' response, Walter then asked if the series was in danger of seeing 'Mankads or underarm bowling later on this series?' - an amusing line of questioning for the Australian captain. “Ah. I mean, depends how flat the wickets get. It might be an option to turn to,” Cummins shot back, prompting a laugh among assembled media.

England had made no secret about their preference for a fast and flat wicket, in order to best deploy their aggressive 'Bazball' tactics, with the bat in particular. While some considered the reporter's line of questioning 'disrespectful', the rage directed at the Aussies appears unlikely to abate any time soon.

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