Test captain Pat Cummins and Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg are confident Australia’s players won’t face a repeat of the ugly scenes that marred their last Test Match at Lord’s, as the team prepares for its return to the iconic venue.
The World Test Championship final against South Africa, which starts next Wednesday, will mark Australia’s first red-ball match at Lord’s since the infamous 2023 Ashes clash when Alex Carey’s stumping of Jonny Bairstow on the final day triggered outrage from some MCC members.
Three Marylebone Cricket Club members were sanctioned – one banned for life and two others suspended – after Usman Khawaja and several teammates were verbally abused in the Long Room as they walked from the field. Temper also flared in the stands.
Despite the ugly scenes on that day, Greenberg, who will attend the match in London, said the team felt no unease about returning.
“I don’t think there’s any concern from anyone in our camp … and we [Cricket Australia] don’t have any concerns,” Greenberg said. “We’ve had nothing but great experiences at Lord’s over a long period of time. It’s a venue where our players want to play.
“We think it’ll be like it has been over many, many years. When Australians have visited Lord’s, they’ll get a great reception, and we’re confident that’ll happen again.”
Pat Cummins celebrates as Jonny Bairstow is stumped during the Lord’s Test of 2023. Credit: Reuters
Many home fans and commentators labelled Bairstow’s dismissal as being against the spirit of cricket, despite England captain Joe Root later conceding his batter had been at fault.
Australia returned to Lord’s for a one-day international last September, but this will be their first Test match at the venue since that ill-tempered day, which ended in Australia claiming victory by 43 runs.
Cummins, who did not play in the white-ball match, believes there won’t be a repeat from MCC members.
“I’m sure it won’t be [like it was in 2023]. I think they all got put back in their place pretty quickly after that day,” Cummins said in an interview with Grade Cricketer duo Ian Higgins and Sam Perry for Amazon Prime.
Jonny Bairstow of England is stumped by Alex Carey. Credit: Getty Images
“I imagine they’re going to be very respectful and welcoming like they have been for most times we have visited, aside from a couple of years ago.”
Cummins later revealed he had told Carey to attempt the stumping, having seen Bairstow repeatedly wander out of his crease before the ball was dead.
Khawaja, who will open the batting at Lord’s, said of the 2023 exchange: “One of them [the members] … [was] spraying me. I was like, ‘Nup, you can’t be saying that stuff’. He said, ‘Oh, I can say whatever I effing want’, like a sense of entitlement almost.”
Carey, speaking recently on the Willow Talk Podcast, added: “I’m expecting a nice welcome to Lord’s like we usually get. The members are the most polite in world cricket … they’ll no doubt clap a lot of us off the field if we score runs.”
Australian opener Usman Khawaja walks past MCC members inside Lord’s famous Long Room after Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal.Credit: Nine
Australia are chasing their second consecutive World Test Championship title, having beaten India at the Oval two years ago.
“After winning 2023, there was a lot of talk about trying to retain it,” Cummins said on Amazon Prime.
“It’d be pretty cool to win another ICC trophy playing at Lord’s. You have to be quite a complete team over that couple of years.
“They always seem to compete in any tournament and have a lot of experience. South Africa always have really good fast bowlers … and there’s always a little bit of mystique just because you don’t play them as often as say India.”
Cummins confirmed Steve Smith would bat at No.4 but wouldn’t be drawn on the make-up of Australia’s XI.
Marnus Labuschagne is being discussed as a potential opening option with Khawaja, while Cameron Green could slot in at No.3 after auspicious performances in county cricket since his return from injury.
