England captain Ben Stokes took the moral high ground over Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal by Australia at Lord’s, insisting he would not want to win a Test in such divisive fashion.
The tourists took a 2-0 Ashes lead as they wrapped up a 43-run victory in the second Test at the home of cricket, but a gripping five-day contest seems destined to be remembered for the flashpoint – as well as Stokes’ magnificent century in response.
Alex Carey’s opportunistic stumping of Bairstow was the pivot point, with the wicketkeeper throwing down the stumps as England’s number seven wandered out of his crease in the belief that Cameron Green’s over was complete.
The letter of the law meant Bairstow had to go as the ball was not officially considered dead, but a capacity Lord’s crowd reacted in outrage to what they saw as an underhand tactic. Deafening boos and endless refrains of “same old Aussies, always cheating” dominated for the rest of the day as Stokes blazed a defiant 155.
The 32-year-old’s brilliant best was not enough as he fell short of completing a 371-run chase that may have trumped his Headingley heroics in 2019 and he could not hide his disappointment at the nature of the Bairstow stumping.
“The first thing that needs to be said is that it is out. But would I want to win a game in that manner? The answer for me is no,” he said.
“Jonny was in his crease, then left his crease to come out and have the conversation between overs like every batsman does.
“For Australia it was the matchwinning moment. If I was fielding captain at the time I would have put a lot more pressure on the umpires to ask them what their decision was around the (end of the) over. Then I would have had a real deep think about the spirit of the game.”
Asked if his approach would change for the rest of the series now that Australia had set the bar, Stokes said: “Would I do that back to them? No, I’m not looking to do something like that because they did it.”
Pat Cummins, long known for his sunny disposition and mild manner, appeared taken aback by the sustained jeers from the stands. More loud boos followed the final wicket of the match, drowning out the cheers of the touring group in green and gold, and Australia captain Cummins was barracked at the post-match presentation.
However, he made no apologies for upholding the appeal against Bairstow and said the England keeper had been looking for similar opportunities throughout the match.
“It’s in the laws, totally fair play. That’s how I saw it,” he said.
“You see Jonny do it all the time, he did it day one to (David) Warner and in 2019 to Steve (Smith). It’s what keepers do if you see an opportunity. All credit to Carey, he rolled it at the stumps, Jonny left his crease and you leave the rest to the umpires.”
Stokes did his best to block out the external noise while he was batting – a remarkable knock of controlled aggression, tactical strike rotation and brute force – but was taken aback by the unprecedented reaction at a ground known for its laidback ‘Lord’s hum’.
He expects more of the same at Headingley next week and expects the volume to be cranked up.
“I definitely think it’s going to be ramped up,” he said.
“When we go to Australia we get lambasted as well – 90,000 Australians at the MCG cursing at you. That’s part of the sport we play, you get thousands of people who want their team to win and they’ll just jump on something.
“I could see it was ramping up and getting a bit vocal, but it wasn’t until I got out and went out on the balcony to watch the remaining half hour…I was just like “I’ve never heard Lord’s like this”. It reminded me of the World Cup final in 2019.
“It was nice to see Lord’s (like that), a ground that’s not got a reputation for the atmosphere and noise. Today was one of the days where Lord’s showed up.”
England now need to show up themselves. After successive defeats to start the series they need to a hat-trick of wins at Headingley, Old Trafford and The Oval to reclaim the urn.
“We’ve won 3-0 against New Zealand and we won 3-0 against Pakistan, in Pakistan,” was Stokes’ defiant message as he looked back on past glories from his year as captain.
“We’ve won three games in a row twice. All we’re thinking about is winning the series 3-2. We have to win these three games to get this urn back and we’re a team who are obviously willing to put ourselves out there and do things against the narrative. So, these next three games are an even better opportunity for us than we have ever found ourselves in before.”
England named a 15-man squad for Thursday’s third Test, with back-up leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed dropping out alongside seamer Matthew Potts. Moeen Ali (index finger) and Mark Wood – overlooked this week due to fitness concerns – retained their places, as did vice-captain Ollie Pope, who injured his right shoulder while fielding.
Barbados Pride soar into CG United Super50 final after commanding 153-run win over T&T Red Force
Barbados Pride delivered a clinical performance to storm into the CG United Super50 Cup final, as they hammered defending champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Force by a massive 153 runs in their semi-final clash at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Wednesday.
This victory propelled the Pride—who last tasted glory in the 2016-17 season and reached their last final in 2017-18—into contention for their seventh title.
Scores: Barbados Pride 339-7 (50 overs); Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 186 all out (36.3 overs)
After being sent in to bat, the Pride’s openers, Zachary McCaskie and Leniko Boucher, laid the foundation with a scintillating 142-run partnership. McCaskie, the more aggressive of the pair, entertained with a blistering 94 off just 82 deliveries, smashing six boundaries and six towering sixes.
However, his departure, courtesy of Mark Deyal, did little to disrupt the Pride’s momentum.
This, as Captain Raymond Reifer joined the fray with a brisk 65 and added another crucial 50-run stand with Boucher, who contributed a steady 69 off 84 balls in a knock that had seven boundaries. Reifer's 60-ball knock, which included six fours and a six, epitomized controlled aggression that applied further pressure to the Red Force bowlers.
Even when Boucher fell to Deyal and Kevin Wickham (14) went to spinner Khary Pierre, Reifer, and Roston Chase (43), on return from West Indies duties, added another 50 for the fourth wicket.
Chase’s quick-fire 31-ball knock, which had only two fours and a six, ensured the Pride capitalized on the foundation laid by the top order.
Reifer eventually became Deyal’s third scalp, and Chase went to Shannon Gabriel, but the damage was already done as the Pride were at 297-5 at that point. The lower order contributed the remaining runs to the daunting total.
Deyal stood out for the Red Force with figures of 4-53, but his efforts were insufficient to stem the tide.
Facing a mountain of runs, the Red Force faltered early and never recovered. The only bright spot in their reply was a 68-run second wicket partnership between Tion Webster and Amir Jangoo (16). Webster’s aggressive 56 off 47 balls, which featured eight boundaries and a six, gave fleeting hope before he became the fourth wicket to fall with the score at 91.
After Webster’s dismissal, Deyal (34) and Isiah Rajah (28) added a brief 53-run stand for the seventh wicket, but the Red Force were ultimately bowled out for a paltry 186 in just 36.3 overs.
Dominic Drakes led the Pride’s bowling charge with 3-24, with Chase (2-40) and Kemar Smith (2-42) also doing some damage.
The Pride’s dominance sets up a highly anticipated final against the winner of the Jamaica Scorpions versus Leeward Islands Hurricanes semi-final, scheduled for Thursday.
Finish well: Andre Coley eyes redemption, momentum as Windies gear up for Bangladesh Test
West Indies Head coach Andre Coley is exuding quiet confidence as his team prepares for their upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh.
With the matches—scheduled for November 22-26 in Antigua and November 30 to December 4 in Kingston—marking the final home series in the current World Test Championship cycle, Coley is determined to see the Caribbean side end the year on a high note after recent setbacks.
The West Indies are coming off a disappointing tour of South Africa, where they failed to capitalize on key moments and eventually lost that two-match series 1-0 after the first game ended in a draw. Reflecting on those matches, Coley stressed the importance of learning from the past and seizing the opportunity to close out this series on a strong note.
“Coming off the disappointment of the South Africa series, we put ourselves in a position to close out that series, and we didn’t. So the opportunity is there for us to do so against Bangladesh now, and it is very important for us to come up with a winning result on home soil,” Coley said in a pre-series interview.
“We’ve always had exciting and challenging series against Bangladesh, and this series offers a chance to create momentum as we head into tougher assignments in Australia and Pakistan,” he added.
Coley and his team, which includes players from the regional 50-over tournament and recent white-ball series, are currently in Antigua fine-tuning preparations ahead of Friday’s first day.
Despite initial weather disruptions, Coley pointed out that the team has had productive sessions, with all players fit and ready for action.
While West Indies boast a strong home record against Bangladesh, Coley is keen to keep his squad grounded. He recognizes the challenges posed by Bangladesh and the added intrigue of familiar faces on the opposition side, including Bangladesh Head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, a figure Coley knows well.
“Each match brings a different opportunity. We have players who’ve been successful against Bangladesh, both home and away, but we also have some new players who wouldn’t have played in any of those series. So it’s an opportunity for senior players and emerging players to show what they are capable of and what we are capable of as a team,” Coley noted.
The series against Bangladesh serves as a vital stepping stone beyond the larger context of the World Test Championship, as West Indies sit at the foot of the standings in ninth on 20 points.
Still, with four matches left in the cycle, Coley is focused on building a cohesive unit capable of competing at the highest level.
“This series is about putting everything together from the last year and a half and ending the year in good form,” he declared.
That said, the Jamaican highlighted the importance of fan support, especially during the festive season. Cricket remains a unifying force in the Caribbean, and Coley hopes that fans will rally behind the team.
“I know that the West Indian fans really want us to do well and have been supportive in their own way because cricket means a lot to the region and the fans are very passionate about the game. Despite the nature of our squad, emerging and experienced players, everyone in the squad wants to do well, so I want to encourage the fans to come out and support us and give us that extra boost of encouragement at home,” Coley ended.
Global Super League announces schedule change ahead of 2024 Tournament
The ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) has announced a schedule adjustment ahead of its inaugural tournament, which is set to take place at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. The final will now be held on Friday, 6 December 2024, while the match between Hampshire Hawks and Victoria has been rescheduled to 10:00 AM on Thursday, 5 December 2024.
The tournament, featuring five teams—Guyana Amazon Warriors, Hampshire Hawks, Lahore Qalandars, Rangpur Riders, and Victoria—kicks off on Tuesday, 26 November 2024.
Sir Clive Lloyd, Chairman of the GSL, explained that the schedule changes were made in consultation with Cricket West Indies to avoid potential clashes with preparations for the West Indies' ODI series against Bangladesh.
“While the squads for the West Indies ODI series against Bangladesh have not yet been announced, we wanted to ensure that there was no chance of a clash between the conclusion of the GSL and the preparations for that series,” Lloyd said. “This decision has been made after discussions with Cricket West Indies to ensure the integrity of both the West Indies vs Bangladesh series and the GSL.”
Ticket holders for the affected matches can still use their existing tickets for entry. Those unable to attend the rescheduled games will be eligible for a full refund.
Revised Schedule for the 2024 Global Super League
26 November, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Lahore Qalandars
27 November, 7:00 PM: Hampshire Hawks vs Rangpur Riders
29 November, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Victoria
30 November, 10:00 AM: Hampshire Hawks vs Lahore Qalandars
1 December, 10:00 AM: Rangpur Riders vs Victoria
1 December, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Hampshire Hawks
3 December, 7:00 PM: Victoria vs Lahore Qalandars
4 December, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Rangpur Riders
5 December, 10:00 AM: Hampshire Hawks vs Victoria
5 December, 7:00 PM: Lahore Qalandars vs Rangpur Riders
6 December, 7:00 PM: Final – First Place vs Second Place
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