INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NEW DELHI: Following the controversial stumping incident on the final day of the second Ashes Test, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has
taken action by suspending three of its members
Altercations occurred between these members and the Australian team in Lord's Long Room, prompting the MCC to issue an "unreserved apology"
to the visiting players.During the incident, television footage captured a heated exchange between Australian openers Usman Khawaja and
David Warner and certain spectators in the Long Room
This exclusive area is designated for MCC members and their guests
Security guards intervened to restrain Khawaja, while Warner engaged in a verbal exchange with some of the members, necessitating security
personnel to step in."Further to the earlier statement, MCC can confirm it has suspended three Members identified from earlier today
They will not be permitted back to Lord's whilst the investigation takes place and were informed of this by MCC Chief Executive, Guy
Lavender, this evening," the MCC said in a statement late on Sunday.The unpleasant exchange came after Bairstow's dismissal, which took
place half an hour before lunch.Bairstow had ducked a slow bouncer and immediately left his crease to meet skipper Ben Stokes at the other
end, thinking the ball was already "dead".However, wicketkeeper Alex Carey underarmed the ball into his stumps and the Australians
Bairstow was given out for 10 after a brief review.While there is no doubt that Bairstow was out under the laws of the game, many including
England coach Brendon McCullum and Stokes believe the dismissal was not in the spirit of the game.After the dismissal, Australian team was
booed and jeered with chants of "same old Aussies, always cheating" reverberating at the Lord's."We maintain that the behaviour of a small
number of Members was completely unacceptable and whilst there was no suggestion by Pat Cummins in the post-match press conference that
there was any physical altercation, it remains wholly unacceptable to behave in such a way, which goes against the values of the Club.""MCC
condemns the behaviour witnessed and once again we re-iterate our apology to Cricket Australia," the statement read.Bairstow's dismissal
left Stokes as the lone recognised batter
The skipper played a knock for the ages, slamming an anger-fuelled 155 off 214 balls that was laced with nine sixes and as many
fours.However once he was out, England slumped to a 43-run loss
The hosts now trail the five-match series 0-2.KHAWAJA CONDEMNS 'DISRESPECTFUL' BEHAVIOURTalking to Channel Nine about the incident after the
match, a "disappointed" Khawaja slammed the disrespectful behaviour towards his team."Lord's is one of my favourite places to come
There's always respect shown at Lord's, particularly in the Members Pavilion in the Long Room, but there wasn't today
It was very disappointing."If anyone asked me where the best place is to play I always say Lord's
The crowd is great, particularly the members are great, and some of the stuff that was coming out of the members' mouths is really
disappointing and I wasn't just going stand by and cop it
So I just talked to a few of them."A few of them were throwing out some pretty big allegations and I just called them up on it and they kept
going, and I was like, well, this is your membership here
So I'm just pointing them out
But it's pretty disrespectful, to be honest
I just expect a lot better from the members."(With inputs from PTI)
