Australian Cricket Team: MCC Apologises For Heated Exchange at Lord’s Long Room

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on Sunday “unreservedly apologised” to the Australian squad after a small group of its members allegedly assaulted a number of foreign players in the Lord’s Long Room following Jonny Bairstow’s contentious dismissal on the fifth day of the second Ashes Test.

In the 52nd over, Bairstow ducked Cameron Green’s slow bouncer and left the crease, believing the ball to be “dead.” But Alex Carey snapped the stumps, and third umpire Marais Erasmus ruled that Australia had been stumped.

England was at 193 for 5 with Bairstow at 10 at that point, chasing a challenging 371 to win the game.

With cries of “same old Aussies, always cheating,” the Lord’s crowd began to jeer Australia shortly after.

Usman Khawaja, an Australian player who started the game, was observed stopping and challenging an MCC representative as the team passed through the Long Room. The security guards drew him back. Warner was also seen speaking to a few of the participants. As the Australian players ascended the steps, the jeers persisted.

“The Long Room is unique in the world of cricket, and it is a huge honour for players to travel through the Pavilion. A few members of the team sadly exchanged words with some of the Australian players after this morning’s game due to the heightened emotions, according to a statement from the MCC.

“We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused to the Australian Team, and we will take disciplinary action against any Member who fails to uphold the standards we demand. I’m happy to report that there was no need to evict anyone from the pitch when the players returned to the pitch for this afternoon’s practise.

The management of the Australian team had additionally asked the MCC to look into the occurrences involving spectators in the members’ section.

“Australian management has requested that the Marylebone Cricket Club investigate several incidents involving spectators in the members area during lunch on day five of the Lord’s Test,” according to a statement from Cricket Australia.

The Australian team’s players and staff allegedly encountered physical and verbal abuse while walking through the members’ area to get to lunch.