‘Can’t reward stupidity’: Brendan McCullum’s words come back to bite him

England coach Brendan McCullum has trashed Australia over a single act but in doing so has laid bare his stunning hypocrisy.

Hypocrisy, thy name is Brendan McCullum.

The former New Zealand star turned architect of England’s Bazball revolution didn’t mince his words after the second Test ended in controversy following the run out of Jonny Bairstow on day five.

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If you’ve been living under a rock today and somehow managed to avoid the vitriol across social media, the incident occurred with England 5/193 with Bairstow at the crease partnering captain Ben Stokes.

After ducking on the final ball of the over, Bairstow hardly let the ball hit Alex Carey’s gloves before wandering down the pitch.

Carey, having seen Bairstow leave the crease several times in his brief 22-ball innings, threw the ball at the stumps immediately, letting go of the ball before Bairstow had left his crease but finding his opposite number out of his ground.

Bairstow was stunned, Australia was jubilant and the cricket world lost its collective mind.

While the Lord’s crowd and England supporters called the Aussies cheats, with some even attacking the players in the ground’s famous Long Room, the hosts tried to take the moral high-ground.

Post-match, Ben Stokes said he wouldn’t have done the same, saying: “I would have had to have a real think around the spirit of the game, and would I want to potentially win a game with something like that happening — and it would be no.”

Australia celebrated.Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

When asked about Stokes’ reaction to the stumping, Aussie skipper Pat Cummins replied simply: “Okay.”

Stokes comments were rich, particularly when Bairstow himself tried to stump Marnus Labuschagne in very similar circumstances earlier in the match.

There was also footage of wicketkeeper Ben Foakes hovering over the stumps again Ireland waiting an eternity for his rival to lift his foot.

The one on the left was labelled "Quick-thinking Foakes stumps Balbirnie". The same news site asks whether Bairstow's dismissal is “The most controversial moment of the Ashes so far?" #fairgamepic.twitter.com/SoZYV0eSz0

— Isabelle Westbury (@izzywestbury) July 2, 2023

But the most galling response was that of England coach McCullum, who had no problem dishing it out during his career, but had a sook when the shoe was on the other foot.

McCullum told BBC Test Match Special after the game that he “can’t imagine we’ll be having a beer any time soon” with the Aussies.

“When you become older and more mature, you realise the game and the spirit of it is something you need to protect,” McCullum said.

“You have to make decisions in the moment, and they can have effects on games and people’s characters.

“By the letter of the law, he is out. Jonny was not trying to take a run. It is one of those difficult ones to swallow and you look at the small margins, it is incredibly disappointing.

“But lots of people will have their opinion on both sides of the fence. The most disappointing thing is that it will be the most talked about event of a great Test match.”

McCullum can’t believe Australia followed his lead. Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

During his playing career, McCullum pulled a similar trick on England’s Paul Collingwood in a 2009 ODI.

Ultimately Collingwood was called back, but not because of McCullum. It was now-Australian assistant coach Daniel Vettori who withdrew the appeal.

"I don't think we'll be having a drink with them any time soon".

Oh really Baz?

Hilarious...you can't make this stuff up. The holier than thou, sanctimonious crap is deliciously ironic.#Ashes#Ashes2023#ENGvAUS#ENGvsAUS#BAZBALL#cumballhttps://t.co/oHLqIgCOp9

— Scott Gumbleton (@scottgumbleton) July 3, 2023

But back in 2006, McCullum also ran out Muttiah Muralitharan in a Test match after he left the crease to celebrate Kumar Sangakkara’s century.

In what was a low scoring Test match, Sri Lanka were 9/170 when Sangakkara scored his ton — leaving New Zealand needing 119 runs to win, which they did five wickets down as McCullum hit the winning runs.

After the match, McCullum was quoted as saying: “I never thought it the wrong thing to do, the rules are there and you can’t reward stupidity.”

However, a decade later, McCullum regretted his role in the situation while speaking to the Marylebone Cricket Club’s Spirit of Cricket lecture at Lord’s in 2016.

“I became incredibly competitive; winning was everything and I didn’t really care what it took to win,” he said.

“I now look back on that part of my game with regret. There are many things I would change if I could. I guess growing up in a cricketing sense is no different to growing up in life, except that it’s a much more public rite of passage where everything you do is scrutinised.”

Not a good look for your argument Baz. Photo by Jeff Brass/Getty Images

McCullum wasn’t happy. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

McCullum also apologised to Sangakkara and Muralitharan after the firestorm his actions created.

“If I could turn back time, I would,” McCullum said. “We were within the laws of the game but not the spirit and there is a very important difference which is glaringly obvious to me years later, and it’s that aspect that I want to focus on a little more this evening.

“Because nearly ten years after running out Murali, I view things very differently and I would hope that I am a very different person.”

It’s words that would have been poignant on a day like today if it wasn’t the second time he’d done it after a 2005 moment when he ran out Zimbabwean No. 11 Chris Mpofu in Bulawayo in exactly the same way.

Mpofu went to walk down the pitch to celebrate a 50 from Blessing Mahwire. It was the only Test 50 of Mahwire’s career and the wicket wrapped up an innings and 46 run victory.

I hope Brendon McCullum didn't forget what he did to Chris Mpofu and Zimbabwe back in 2005 😅🙏🏼🙏🏼 #Ashes23#Ashespic.twitter.com/LUJPOHdkju

— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) July 3, 2023

I guess it’s a matter do as I say, not as I do aye Baz?

Fans were quick to share the clips on high rotation and call out McCullum for his hypocrisy.

Career flashback #2

Brendan McCullum ran a hapless tailender out who was walking down the wicket to celebrate a mate scoring a century

Same guy won’t have a beer with Australia who stumped a knowledgeable keeper - who had tried the same himself 48 hrs earlier#SpiritOfCrickethttps://t.co/4hFZvhunB0pic.twitter.com/uXirhiDvKZ

— The Spence (@adambspencer) July 3, 2023

ESPN’s Steve Smith, not the Aussie cricketer, posted: “Brendon McCullum saying he won’t be having a drink with the Australians any time soon. My dude you deliberately ran out a player celebrating his teammate’s hundred. Glass houses, things of that nature.”

Former ABC journalist Glenn Mitchell said: “The dismissal of Bairstow was within the Laws.

“Many though have raised the ‘spirit of the game’ and whether AUS should have withdrawn the appeal

“The same question could be raised re current ENG coach Brendon McCullum and this runout of Murali.”

Aussie coach Andrew McDonald said he was “disappointed” by McCullum’s comments.

McDonald said he was hearing the comments for the first time when he fronted the press on Monday and had not spoken to McCullum after the game.

“I’ve heard that comment for the first time, and I’m somewhat disappointed by that,” McDonald said.

The Australian coach said Bairstow’s dismissal as he strolled out of his crease was the simple execution of a plan and did not contravene the spirit of cricket.

“There’s no doubt when a player is leaving their crease or leaving their ground at certain periods of time that you take that opportunity,” he said.

“I think (captain Pat Cummins) relayed that there was some conversation around Jonny leaving the crease and Alex Carey took that opportunity – the ball’s still live in our minds.

“It got sent upstairs and ultimately, the officiating third umpire decides it’s out, it’s within the laws of the game. I don’t see too many issues with it, to be perfectly honest.”

With NCA Newswire