Candice Warner reveals details of controversial Lord’s incident

Candice Warner has revealed what actually went on between Jonny Bairstow and Australian players during an off-field incident.

Candice Warner has revealed what was actually said in the now-infamous lunchroom confrontation between the two sides during the Lord’s Test after Alex Carey’s controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow.

Watch every game of the Major League Cricket Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Warner opened up on Fox Sports’ The Back Page about husband David’s side of the story and the abuse directed towards players from the normally genteel MCC Members.

“In the lunchroom, it’s a really tiny room,” Warner said.

“You wouldn’t believe how small it is! There’s three tables, and there’s one way in, there’s one way out, so you’re crossing each other.

“From what I am to believe, the Australian team were sitting on one table, the English team were (on the other side).

“Jonny (Bairstow) got up and had a few words, David (Warner) had a few words back at him.”

Candice Warner has been one of husband David’s most prominent public supporters.

Bairstow and Warner were teammates in the IPL at Sunrisers Hyderabad from 2019-2021, and Candice noted the pair were otherwise relatively close from that time together.

“You’ve got to remember David and Jonny are mates, they played IPL together. Like a lot of people now they have friendships from what franchise cricket has created.”

Warner described the fan reaction to Alex Carey’s controversial stumping as “pretty disgusting”, saying that players were being kicked by boozed-up members that are allowed more alcohol into the ground than is typically allowed in Australia.

“It was pretty disgusting, we were in a box on the left hand side of the Members’ Pavilion,” she said.

“That whole Test was pretty grubby, to be completely honest. It wasn’t just what was going on there (in the Long Room as players were abused).

“The amount of alcohol that was consumed, you’re allowed to take two bottles in with you unlike in Australia where you obviously cannot.

Australian players are heckled as they walk past MCC members at Lords after the dismissal of English batsman Jonny Bairstow. Picture: Nine Wide World of Sports

“It was very disappointing, even after the game when the supporters stuck around. There were players like Starcy and Pat Cummins trying to do their media, the vile abuse kept going.

“It wasn’t just those images there (where the Aussies walked through the Long Room). It continued two flights of stairs up to the changeroom and two more flights of stairs up to where the boys were having lunch.

“You don’t want to see that anywhere.

“There were some players who actually were touched, were kicked. Usman Khawaja was really upset at what was directed at him as well.”

Injured offspinner Nathan Lyon echoed similar sentiments to Warner, telling the Willow Talk Cricket Podcast that he tried to disperse the tension while on crutches.

“There were a few Australian guys and a few English guys in the lunchroom, and I hobbled up on my crutches and stood in the middle of it and tried to calm things down a little bit,” Lyon said.

“Jonny had a few words here or there. That’s all part of it, I’m all for it.”