Ashes 2023: Pat Cummins unmoved by England protests, proud of his players’ response

Australian captain Pat Cummins has described his pride at his team’s respect and dignity in the face of the ugly fan reaction on the final day of the Lord’s test match.

Pat Cummins says he is bewildered by the fuss surrounding his side’s stumping of Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s, suggesting that if the roles had been reversed he would think the batter had been “pretty silly.”

The Australian captain is expecting a hostile environment at Headingley when the Ashes series resumes on Thursday, just four days after wicketkeeper Alex Carey dismissed the creeping Bairstow, setting off a culture war and spirit of cricket debate that has even roused a couple of Prime Ministers into commenting on the subject.

A host of England figures including captain Ben Stokes, coach Brendon McCullum, former skipper Joe Root and veteran paceman Stuart Broad have said they wouldn’t have done the same if presented with such an opportunity.

Pat Cummins celebrates with Alex Carey after the stumping of Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s. Picture: Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images

But Cummins has doubled down ahead of the third Test, gobsmacked that the matter was even a talking point.

“I don’t think there’s any discussion. It’s out. If the shoe was on the other foot, I wouldn’t be looking at the opposition, I’d probably be looking at our own batter and would be thinking it’s pretty silly,” Cummins said.

“Everyone that has played cricket and knows cricket, you just see that as out, end of story.

“I don’t think a conversation about the spirit of cricket even comes into a dismissal like that. It was plain and simple a stumping.

“For what I think is a pretty common, non-event it does seem like everyone has a pretty strong opinion about it. Bit surprised about how big it’s been but that’s an Ashes, the littlest thing tends to be a moment where everyone likes to show their patriotism.”

Asked whether he thought England was deflecting from being 2-0 down in the series, Cummins said he was unsure.

“Potentially. I’ve got no idea. I know what our team does and that’s we concentrate on ourselves. When we haven’t been playing up to scratch we look pretty deeply at what we are doing and try to make amends,” Cummins said.

Pat Cummins was unsure if the storm created around the Jonny Bairstow dismissal was England deflecting from being 2-0 down in the series. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

“We don’t apportion blame to conditions or opposition or anything else going on. Got no idea, but again really proud of how our boys have conducted themselves this tour especially on that day five. Though the way they maintained respect for the opposition, the umpires, the crowd, their dignity was first-class.”

Having been subjected to abuse in the pavilion at Lord’s, Cummins has tipped a nasty welcome from Leeds locals this week.

“I’m expecting the crowd to be pretty hostile. But I think that’d be the case no matter what happened,” Cummins said.

The champion paceman said he did not like it when crowds turned abusive, he didn’t expect it to stop any time soon.

“People pay for their tickets they can turn up … whilst I hope that I would never go to a sporting event and try to abuse players some people do. I’m sure it’ll be pretty fiery week from the crowd, but again, we’re on the field. The crowd really doesn’t affect what we’re trying to do.

Usman Khawaja and Dave Warner in dispute with several MCC Members in the Long Room at Lords during the lunch break.

“I think in Australia, we’re as guilty as anyone a lot of the time so I think it’s reality, to be honest, like you know, you if you’re going to play professional sport, unfortunately, that’s one of the things that you’re going to have to deal with. It’s nothing new. I think you could talk about it till the cows come home, but I doubt it’s gonna make much of a difference.”

With the MCC having suspended the memberships of three patrons who allegedly abused Australian players and staff on Sunday, Cummins said he had not heard any targeting of Usman Khawaja, who was spotted on camera alerting security after taking exception to the behaviour of some members.

“I was not standing next to Uzzie, think I was further up. I heard a lot of the general obvious chants at our players but nothing targeted,” Cummins said.

Originally published as Ashes 2023: Pat Cummins unmoved by England protests, proud of his players’ response