Stuart Broad 'mind games' spark ugly controversy in fifth Ashes Test

Stuart Broad has sparked another round of debates about the 'spirit' of cricket after fiddling with the bails just before Australian batter Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed in the fifth Ashes Test. The England bowler was praised by home fans and criticised elsewhere for engaging in 'mind games' after switching the bails in between deliveries, before Labuschagne edged a Mark Wood delivery through to Joe Root in the slips, with the former England skipper hanging on to a brilliant catch.

As Labuschagne departed for just nine runs from an excruciating 82 deliveries, he was seen having some words to the umpire. It's unclear what was actually said, but there was no mistaking that he was unhappy to have been sent packing.

RUBBISH: Ponting fuming at spectator's 'disgusting' act during fifth Ashes Test

'WE DON'T DO THAT': Marnus Labuschagne act infuriates England

Broad approached the stumps mid-way through the 43rd over, switching the bails around the the bemusement of Labuschagne and batting partner Usman Khawaja. The pair appeared to share a laugh as Wood prepared for his next delivery, but the smile was quickly wiped from Labuschagne's face after he was sent on his way with immediate effect.

English commentator Mark Butcher cheekily questioned of such an act was within the 'spirit of the game' that the home said has made much of throughout the series, prompting an amused reaction from colleague and former England skipper Nasser Hussain. Both agreed that Broad's actions, which he boasted about on social media at the end of the day, had potentially been enough of a distraction for Labuschagne to lose his wicket.

“I don’t know, settle down Butcher,” Hussain replied. “Don’t even go there.”

Labuschagne, of all the Australians, is most regimented when it comes to his bails. The Queenslander often checks the off bail is in its groove properly at the start of an over, blaming a dismissal as a teenager on it being loose.

"Marnus is someone who would notice everything so he took notice of it," Broad said. "It just worked out pretty magically that he nicked off next ball and Rooty took a great catch."

Broad said Usman Khawaja at the other end had immediately warned him after not to touch his bails. But when Labuschagne bats again in the second innings, Broad would be happy to do it again.

"It was a pretty successful result wasn't it?" Broad said. "So I think if the game gets tight I might wander up again."

However he'll be at the mercy of some fans should he choose to do so again, with many calling him out on social media. While some found the act of 's**thousery' more amusing than anything, others lamented what they considered to by hypocrisy from Broad.

“Surely that amounts to unfair tactics or abuse of equipment,” was the response from one England fan on Twitter. “Once again Spirit of Cricket goes out of the window.”

“England have carried on all series about the ‘spirit of cricket’ nonsense,” another fans added. “But why the heck is Broad touching and swapping the bails? Hypocritical.”

Aussie tail wags to eke out narrow fifth Test lead

It kickstarted a collapse of 6-94, before Australia fought back to be all out for 295 and with a lead of 12 runs. The narrow lead was achieved thanks to a rear-guard action from Pat Cummins and Todd Murphy, who added 36 and 34 runs respectively to keep the visitors' hopes of an outright series victory alive.

Labuschagne was visibly frustrated when walking off the field after the dismissal, but Broad said that was more to do with the light. It was a point he believed the 29-year-old was right to query, given it appeared darker at The Oval than when players were forced off in the gloom of Manchester last week.

But by the same token, Broad would not let Labuschagne end the day without one further barb thrown his way. "He strikes me as the sort of batter who is never out, and has to find a reason why he's out. So the light took a pounding I think," Broad said.

"To be fair ... it was probably a bit darker than it was at Old Trafford when we came off. At the Oval, because of where the sightscreen is, underneath the stands are quite angled and it does look dark when you look out that way."

With AAP

Sign up to our newsletter and score the biggest sport stories of the week.