Ashes cricket: ‘Whinging Poms underline why we should become a republic’, says Matt Thistlethwaite

Labor has seized on England’s ­febrile treatment of the Australia cricket team to reignite its push for a republic.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the second Ashes Test at Lord's. Picture: Getty Images.

Labor has seized on England’s ­febrile treatment of the Australia cricket team to reignite its push for a republic.

Assistant Minister for the Republic Matt Thistlethwaite said “a frothing and possibly pickled member of the MCC” targeting an Australian cricketer after the team won the second Test at Lord’s demonstrated precisely the reasons to become a republic.

“If you ever want an illustration of why Australia should become a republic, it’s a frothing and possibly pickled member of the MCC targeting Usman Khawaja in the Long Room at Lord’s,” Mr Thistlethwaite said. “Old Britain reminding new Australia of our place.”

On Monday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Australia’s stumping of English batter Jonny Bairstow was outside the spirit of the game.

Anthony Albanese hit back, declaring he was proud of how the Pat Cummins-led Australian side conducted itself.

The Prime Minister echoed the English chant of “Same old Aussies, always cheating”, tweeting ‘Same old Aussies – always winning’’ and adding that Australia was looking forward to welcoming the team home victorious.

Opposition Treasury spokesman Angus Taylor described Mr Sunak as “lead whinging Pom”.

“We really are seeing the whinging Poms coming out and lead whinging Pom the Prime Minister (Mr Sunak), very disappointing,” he told Sky News. “We won fair and square. Two down, looking forward to the next one.”

Former Australian high commissioner to the UK George Brandis said “Rishi Sunak should accept the umpire’s decision”.

Mr Sunak authorised an official spokesman to say he agreed with England captain Ben Stokes that he “wouldn’t want to win a game in the manner Australia did”, prompting former foreign minister Alexander Downer to tell the Sun the saga was a “bit undignified”.

“The trouble is, it makes Eng­land look like bad sports, bad losers,” Mr Downer said.

Politicians on both sides of the political divide rushed to defend the Australia team, with Nationals leader David Littleproud saying England should “accept the umpire’s decision, suck it up and move on”.

“The British Prime Minister is free to make any comments he likes but it doesn’t make him right,” Mr Littleproud said.

Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce told the English to “read the scoreboard and weep”.

“If you have a problem with the laws of cricket – the game you invented – take it up with the proper authorities,” he said.

Strategic Analysis Australia director Peter Jennings said Mr Sunak had been “very silly to weigh in”, adding that AUKUS was under no risk as the British would make “squillions” out of the nuclear submarine deal.

He also agreed it was a fair dismissal under the laws of cricket.

Opposition sports spokeswoman Anne Ruston said “hard competitive cricket is what the Ashes legend is built on and the Aussies are showing England that both teams came here to win”.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said Mr Sunak “obviously has to barrack for England”, before adding that the Australian team was “giving the English a lesson in cricket”.