The ‘spirit of cricket’ has become a phrase that anyone watching the current Ashes series has come to hear frequently of late. Depending on which country you support, you are likely to have a different reaction upon hearing it. At least, if you’re an Australian fan, you’re bound to roll your eyes, while if you’re an English supporter, you’re likely to shake your head disapprovingly. So, how has it come to this?
Controversy at Lords
Until Jonny Bairstow wandered out of his crease on the morning of day five during the second Test at Lords, no one had uttered the words. However, once Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey had lobbed the ball into the Englishman’s stumps while he was halfway down the wicket and oblivious to any danger, it became the go-to phrase. In short, Carey’s actions ended up with a bewildered Bairstow being given out stumped, England would then go on to lose the game and now they look like losing the series too with the Ashes odds pricing Ben Stokes’ team at +700 to turn the current 2-0 deficit around in the remaining three matches.
It was unquestionably a pivotal moment in the series which led to relations between both nations turning icy as they interpreted this passage of play differently.
From an English perspective, they feel that Carey’s actions were underhand and went against the ‘spirit of cricket’ while the Australians feel as if they don’t have a case to answer for as they were playing within the laws of the game.
The letter of the law
The inescapable reality is that the umpires agreed with the Australians which is why they gave Bairstow out, irrespective of the fact that the Englishman was not trying to gain an advantage by leaving his crease. From the umpires’ point of view, it is black and white: Bairstow left his crease while the ball was live and paid for his lapse in judgment with his wicket.
Of course, this hasn’t stopped the aggrieved English players and press from referring to the fabled ‘spirit of cricket’ where the unwritten rule supposedly dictates that a team doesn’t try to obtain the upper hand on a technicality; sportsmanship and skill should be the only qualities relied upon to win. It’s a noble thought but it doesn’t stand up to scrutiny on this particular occasion.
The truth is that the circumstances around the dismissal of Bairstow do not reflect a wicket that was taken on the sly as the batsman’s lackadaisical actions during the previous five balls of the over had alerted the Australians to a glaring opportunity. Furthermore, Carey released the ball while Bairstow was in his crease on the assumption that he would leave it before the umpires called over; as sure as night follows day, that is what happened.
A matter of perspective
It was quick thinking but most importantly not outside the laws of the game. In many ways, Carey’s actions were similar to those of Liverpool FC during the team’s Champions League semi-final fixture against Barcelona in 2019. On that occasion, the Liverpool players conspired to take a quick corner while the Barcelona players inexplicably had their backs to the ball. Divock Origi was on hand to prod home the corner and ever since, the world has been proclaiming that Liverpool – the 2019 Champions League winners – were switched on and smart for being alive to the situation.
The key difference between the two incidents is that there isn’t a set of unspoken rules in soccer that outlaws being streetwise against an opposition that has lost match awareness. Conversely, in cricket, the expectation is that a team shouldn’t seek to benefit from careless play.
It is to this end that you have to conclude that the English players have, to a certain degree, been somewhat naive. This is especially true when considering that if any team in world cricket is open to exploring every possibility of taking a wicket, it is likely to be the Australians; you can’t give this dominant team an inch.
Remaining alert and focused will ensure that no one ever has to rely on the ‘spirit of cricket’ being observed again.
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