The Ashes third Test: Intimidating atmosphere to greet Australia at Headingley

The English supporters are set to bring a hostile atmosphere for the third Ashes Test amid reports the Australian team has requested extra security for players and family.

Pat Cummins’ Australian Test team have been warned the fury of working class England will be “louder than a Taylor Swift concert’’ in the powderkeg third Ashes Test at Headingley on Thursday.

Veteran English cricket journalist John Etheridge and Barmy Army spokesman George Gallantree said Australia’s decision to claim a controversial stumping against English keeper Jonny Bairstow in the second Test would detonate the most notorious crowd in English cricket.

”It’s going to be louder than a Taylor Swift concert on the Western Terraces in the afternoon after the fans have had a few Tetley Bitters,’’ Gallantree said.

”Lord’s is more of a library compared to the western terraces at Headingley.’’

The Australians can expect a boisterous English crowd in the third Test. Picture: Getty Images

The Sun’s Etheridge said there was lingering anger at the stumping of Bairstow, a long time Yorkshire favourite who will be playing on his home ground.

“Jonny will get a massive ovation when he comes to the wicket because they love him up there but for Australia it is going to be very hostile,’’ Etheridge said.

”They will really be running the gauntlet. The atmosphere will be far different to Lord’s where they might have faced a few retired colonels. This crowd is far more earthy.

“There are two notorious spots in England. One is the Hollies Stand at Edgbaston. The other one is the Western Terrace at Headingley in the afternoon when the fans become alcohol fuelled.

“When the beer is flowing and the noise is amped up it is quite intimidating.’’

The warning comes amid reports the Australian team has requested extra security for players and family after Steve Smith’s mother was among the extended touring group upset by crowd behaviour and walked out at Lord’s.

Code Sports understands it is not just increased security, but more a heightened awareness for the looming occasion especially amid renewed fears Just Stop Oil protestors will strike again having made it onto the pitch on day one at Lord’s.

But while Lord’s is the home of the upperclass, with dress codes and expensive members’ seats, Leeds is more feral where the riff raff come to enjoy a day drinking and singing in the sun, often dressed in costume.

The Australian players know the most intense atmosphere of the series awaits.

Young spinner Todd Murphy, who is set to make his Ashes debut in place of injured spinner Nathan Lyon, said the Aussies were bracing for a frosty reception, but that the team had not discussed a collective manner of handling the animosity.

Todd Murphy is set to replace the injured Nathon Lyon. Picture: Getty Images

“I think from speaking to the boys, this is probably the most hostile ground you get in England and I’m quite looking forward to it if I do get the opportunity,” Murphy said.

“I’ve always grown up watching Ashes cricket and love what the Barmy Army bring to the game and it obviously adds the atmosphere and adds to an away series. So yeah, it’s going to be different, but I’m sure they won’t hold back so just embrace it and try and have a good time with it.

“There hasn’t been a conversation or certainly not that I’ve been a part of and I don’t think there will be. I think a lot of our boys are quite experienced and guys probably handle it in their own different ways. So I’m not sure we’ll have sort of a team consensus about how we’re going to go about it but I think everyone’s under no illusions that it’s going to come pretty hard.”

West Yorkshire police said they were aware of the febrile atmosphere that settled over the series.

They said security arrangements for the third test at Headingley were “a matter of course.”

“We are aware about this, and we don’t comment on specific security arrangements, a policing plan is in place, and is being looked at for the third Test, as it will be for any large event,” a West Yorkshire police spokesman said.

An organiser for Fanatics Sports and Party Tours UK catering largely to Australians said, “it’s just cricket - it’s not a football match.”

The organiser, who asked to be known as Ben, said: “We won’t be telling fans what to do, fans will be fans.

“We would be working in accordance with police guidance, but would let them wear the green and gold, and support the game in the way, they’ve always done.”

Meanwhile, Ricky Ponting has lashed England captain Ben Stokes for waiting until post-match to question Australian counterpart Cummins’ decision to appeal for Bairstow’s controversial Lord’s stumping and feels respect for skippers has “died off”.

As tensions continue to simmer Australian Cricketers Association boss Todd Greenberg confirming extra security measures will be in place, Ponting zoned in on Stokes’ response to the incident.

The English captain was at the nonstriker’s end when Australian keeper Alex Carey threw down the stumps with batting partner Bairstow leaving his crease early and didn’t take the matter up with Cummins.

Pat Cummins is congratulated by Ricky Ponting after the second Test. Picture: Getty Images

After the game, won by the Australians, Stokes said he wouldn’t have liked to win a game “like that” and questioned whether it was in the spirit of the game.

But legendary Australian captain Ponting defended Cummins and said Stokes should have handled the incident better.

“The two things that separates both of these two captains is that Ben Stokes had about three hours to think about his answer,” Ponting told The ICC Review.

“Pat Cummins had about 10 seconds to think about what he was going to do and whether he was going to uphold it (the appeal) or not.

“It‘s pretty easy for Ben at the end (of the match) to sit down and give that point of view. But he was actually out there as the batting captain of his team. He could have asked there and then in the heat of the battle if he was thinking clearly like he said he was three hours later in post-game.

“If he was thinking enough, he would have said that to the umpires, ‘You know, was it over? Had you started to move? Is the ball dead?’

They were the questions that had to be answered then and not at the end of the game when he said it.”

Ponting also said a key plank of the spirit of cricket was respecting the umpire’s decision, which in this instance he said the English players, fans, and press had not.

“If we take that Bairstow moment out of this series, you would say that this series has been played with great spirit and everything that has to do with the spirit of cricket and I don‘t think anyone would disagree with that,” he said.

“But one thing like this pops up and then this whole spirit of cricket question is raised again. I’m absolutely a believer in it because there’s more to it than just that one in or out (Bairstow) decision. It’s respecting your opponents, it’s respecting the opposition captain, it’s respecting the umpires and it’s respecting the crowds.”

Originally published as The Ashes third Test: Intimidating atmosphere to greet Australia at Headingley