'Not acceptable': Ashes rival reacts to 'disgusting' Tim Paine act

England great Freddie Flintoff has mocked Tim Paine after the Aussie captain’s admission he went to the toilet on the field during the recent Ashes series.

Australian captain and wicket-keeper Paine recently revealed the story, on the Keeping It Real podcast, that took place during the fourth Test at Old Trafford in the 2019 Ashes series.

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Australia were close to retaining the Ashes on foreign soil for the first time since 2001 after they won the first Test, drew the second but lost the third.

On the final day at Old Trafford, Australia were close to bowling England out, but there was some doubt in Paine’s mind after some overcast weather prompted fears the umpires could call the match early.

“I was feeling a little bit ill and there were some big, dark clouds rolling in over the grandstand and we only had about seven overs left and obviously needed that one wicket,” Paine said.

“There was no drinks break left, and the umpires were starting to talk to each other about bad light.

“I just had a horrible feeling that I needed to go to the toilet… it was a number two and so I basically just thought, ‘righto, can’t waste any time, I’m gonna have to go’.

“Obviously, you’d normally run off but, I just thought the umpires are going to call the game off here and we’re going to get stitched-up, so I couldn’t be running off the ground.”

‘Puzzled’: Flintoff jokes at Paine’s misfortune

The dedication can be admired, but former England all-rounder Flintoff said he was left ‘puzzled’ the Aussie captain would attempt such a feat.

“I’m just puzzled,” Flintoff said in disbelief on TalkSport.

“How can you get away with that in whites?

“That’s disgusting, because you can go off the field for a wee. The umpire understands, if you need to go for that reason you need to go! You can have a situation where everyone’s just going on the field!”

After explaining he learned his lesson when he was an 11 year old boy playing for Lancashire, he joked Paine should be punished.

“But an adult, the captain of Australia, dropping one off in his pants in an Ashes Test match at old Trafford? This is just not acceptable behaviour,” he said.

“I can handle ball tampering, I can handle it, they got carried away, but this lad this is just disgusting, absolutely disgusting Tim Paine!

“I’m saying 18-month ban, ban him!”