Tour rocked by claims Bairstow butted Bancroft
Alleged confrontation took place in Perth bar England players’ conduct back under the spotlight
Jonny Bairstow was being investigated for a butt on Australia opener Cameron Bancroft last night as England’s Ashes tour was rocked both on and off the field.
With the team set to go 1-0 down in the series, Andrew Strauss, the team director, was forced to investigate allegations in the Australia media that Bairstow had become involved in an altercation with Bancroft in a bar in Perth as the team’s off-field behaviour once again came under scrutiny.
The incident happened in the first week of the tour when a group of England players bumped into the Western Australia squad in the Avenue Bar in Perth. Sources have described a coming together of heads between Bairstow and Bancroft in what may have been playful banter that was misinterpreted. Bairstow apologised at the time and the team’s security officer, who was present, did not report any unsavoury incident to the management. Police were not called and there was no complaint from the venue.
Bancroft, who is making his Test debut at the Gabba, was not part of the Australia squad at the time. He was out with team-mates of his state side and England were in Perth for a two-day warm-up match against a WA XI. Strauss spoke to Bairstow last night at the team hotel and will conduct a wider investigation at the end of the Test, although it is understood that the England management are currently satisfied that it was a minor incident, more playful than anything else, and disciplinary action is not expected to follow, unless new evidence emerges.
Bairstow was sledged while batting on Sunday with Australia fielders poking fun at him by saying: “Get your helmet Cam, Jonny’s here.” It is understood Bancroft only told his Australia team-mates over the weekend, which is why it was not mentioned in the field when Bairstow batted in the first innings and he has accepted the apology. The two parties continued to drink together after the incident.
England sources suspect it is part of a campaign to undermine them, playing on sensitivity about offfield behaviour given the controversy over Ben Stokes.
An England and Wales Cricket Board spokesman said: “At close of play in Brisbane today, we were made aware of allegations of an incident in Perth four weeks ago. There has been no report of any incident and there was no injury reported. Following an initial conversation with Jonny Bairstow tonight we understand the context and will follow up with England players and management.”
Bairstow was one of the players fined for being out the night Stokes was involved in a street fight in Bristol after which the players were warned about their off-field conduct. But within days of arriving in Australia they were out drinking in Perth and that will lead to renewed questions about the freedom the players are given. At the start of the tour it was agreed the players would not have a curfew but would also not drink ahead of matches.
“There are no set curfews, they are just sensible rulings,” said Trevor Bayliss, the team’s coach, at the time. “To me, it’s what we should have been sticking to anyway as players or people around a professional set-up. It’s about picking the right time to have a couple of drinks, but knowing to stay away from it if you’re preparing for a match.”
Even if the investigation is closed today without any punishment, the team will be at the centre of a media storm as they try to work out how to claw their way back into the series. It is an unwelcome distraction on a tour that is hard enough already. It is also an indication of the kind of media frenzy that would surround Stokes if he arrives.
Moeen Ali admitted that England are missing Stokes and it would be a huge blow if Bairstow were to be banned by Strauss. Reserve wicketkeeper Ben Foakes has great potential but has never played Test cricket. Throwing him in against Australia would lengthen the tail and weaken further a team that is likely to be scrapping to stay afloat in the series at the day-nighter in Adelaide starting on Saturday.
Relations between England and Australia will plummet now with the tourists suspecting a stitch-up. Bairstow was given a send-off by David Warner when he was out for 42 as the Australia players sledged him over the incident with Bancroft. Cricket Australia did not want to become involved last night but England suspect the Australians have allowed their media to fire bullets for them. Warner still holds a grievance over his punishment for throwing a punch at Joe Root in Birmingham in 2013, which he thinks was blown out of proportion.
On this occasion, Bairstow made light contact with the side of Bancroft’s head, although sources have suggested it was part of a greeting the England wicketkeeper uses with friends at home.