England’s shambolic Ashes tour explodes as security lashes out at host broadcast cameraman
Tempers have flared within the England team, with a staff member getting into a physical altercation with a cameraman as they left Brisbane for Adelaide. See the video.
England’s troubled tour of Australia has taken an explosive twist with a member of their security team making physical contact with a cameraman from the host broadcaster today.
The England team were making their way through the Brisbane Airport terminal en route to Adelaide when a Channel 7 cameraman taking shots of the team felt the fully extended left arm of a England team security man in his chest.
One eyewitness said “they were quite aggressive towards the cameraman as he tried to film them going down the escalators. Things looked quite heated.’’
A Channel Seven spokesperson strongly defended cameraman Nick Carrigan’s actions and hinted there would be further action.
“While conducting routine filming in a public space, the camera operator was physically confronted despite acting respectfully and professionally,’’ the spokesperson said.
“The safety and wellbeing of our staff is paramount. This matter is being taken seriously and is now being managed through the appropriate channels.”
The Channel Seven footage is not flattering to the security guard who seems to retreat from a forward position on the escalator to move towards the cameraman and says “out of my face mate, out of my face mate, get out of my face.’’
When Carrigan asked the guard why he was saying that he said: “You’re in my face mate mate. That’s what you’re doing.’’
Carrigan later told Seven Nightly News he had been with the squad in Noosa and there had been no problems.
“They were friendly with us, and this (type of incident) didn’t happen up there, so it was quite a shock when it happened,” Carrigan said.
“I understand he’s got a job to do, but that was totally uncalled for.”
English cricket has been contacted for comment.
There are many reasons why the English cricket team has not won a Test in Australia for 14 years – and the airport incident sums up one of them.
It’s simply that when things go bad there is no escape, on or off the field. Tempers fray. Strange things happen.
Australia is a paradise for touring teams when things are going well, a prison when things are going badly.e
Every decision becomes scrutinised to the nth degree. Every public outing becomes a potential public relations challenge.
Every slip (slop and slap) became a potential parody. The entire squad becomes a prisoner of their own non-performance.
Ben Stokes had no escape at Noosa beach during the week when cornered by two local radio announcers carrying signs “for sale, moral victories’’ and “Bazballers, anonymous free counselling.’’
Pose for the photo - which he shrewdly did - and you are adding to your own parody but at least showing you have a sense of humour and tolerance.
Had he brushed them away it would have only fuelled the fire and Stokes would have spent the next few days being portrayed as the man who couldn’t take a joke at his own expense.
By engaging in a lighthearted chat with the duo and posing up, admittedly with the face of a man who looked like his lawnmower had just broken down, Stokes did the right thing.
It took Australian tourists of England in 1997 back to the day on that tour when one of the London tabloids tried to get a photo of out of form skipper Mark Taylor with a bat which was half a metre wide.
Taylor’s teammates were publicly furious but privately thought it was funny.
No-one likes being made a fool of.
Michael Vaughan tells a story about touring Australia and training in Perth when a group of schoolkids watched the English tourists.
The youngsters flashed the derisive “what about you blokes?’’ smiles of kids who knew the English were copping heaps during a rugged tour.
Compared to some of the loudmouthed sledges directed from crowds around Australia this was nothing.
But, in its own little way, it was just another slap in face.
This summer’s English squad appears to be feeling the heat on and off the field.
At the Gabba Test a security officer took away a man who sledged Jofra Archer.
Another man was warned for his sarcastic cheering of Stokes as he left the ground after being dismissed.
These seemed like trivial events. If England are offended by some sarcastic cheer they better get their flak jackets on.
The tour is not yet half over and things could get much worse.
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Originally published as England’s shambolic Ashes tour explodes as security lashes out at host broadcast cameraman
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