No Stokes, a batting collapse ... now England’s Ashes hopes are dealt another body blow
ECB is to ‘follow up’ with players after wicketkeeper Bairstow is accused of butting Australian in pub
AFTER the suspension of their vicecaptain Ben Stokes following an alleged drunken street fight, the last thing the flailing England cricket team needed was another player caught up in a late-night brawl.
But as they faced defeat by the Australians in the first Test, their Ashes campaign fell into further disarray, engulfed by claims that Jonny Bairstow, the wicketkeeper and a key batsman, had butted Cameron Bancroft, the Australian batsman, outside a bar.
The late-night scuffle is said to have happened earlier this month, just weeks after Stokes, the star all-rounder, was arrested following an alleged drunken fracas in Bristol. Stokes broke his finger during the brawl, which was caught on CCTV, and was suspended indefinitely, meaning he was unable to join the team in Australia.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed it was investigating the Bairstow incident and had spoken to him to hear his version of events. Insiders believe it to be little more than a light-hearted tussle or tomfoolery gone awry, rather than anything more serious.
Bairstow, 28, is understood to have apologised and Bancroft has shown no desire to take the matter further.
The ECB said there was no report of any incident from the venue, security or police and no injury reported. It will “follow up” with players after the conclusion of the first Ashes Test.
Regardless of the outcome, it is unwanted attention for Bairstow, who was one of three players fined by the ECB for “unprofessional conduct” during the recent one-day series against the West Indies. He accepted a formal written warning.
The fines marked a crackdown on off-pitch behaviour. Andrew Strauss, England’s director of cricket, is likely to be furious that player conduct has come under scrutiny once again.
The latest incident occurred in Perth, days after England touched down for their first tour match against Western Australia on Nov 4 and 5.
Some of the England players, who had been warned to drink sensibly, went on an officially sanctioned night out, accompanied by security, and headed for The Avenue, a venue frequented by students and sports stars. The Western Australian players, including Bancroft, 25, had been having a few drinks before moving on to The Avenue.
There is no dispute that the two players clashed, whether it was lighthearted or otherwise. They then parted ways and no one was any the wiser until the Australians apparently used the incident to antagonise Bairstow, giving him a particularly ferocious “sledging” during his innings as England slipped to 195 all out yesterday.
The team is famed for the practice, which involves getting under oppo- nents’ skin with subtle jibes. Shortly after Bairstow was dismissed for 42, Neroli Meadows, a Fox Sports News reporter, wrote on Twitter: “I understand there was an incident in a bar in Perth, The Avenue, where Jonny Bairstow’s head connected with the side of Cam Bancroft’s.”
The ECB said in a statement: “At close of play in Brisbane, we were made aware of allegations of an incident in Perth four weeks ago. Following an initial conversation with Jonny Bairstow we understand the context and will follow up with England players and management after the Brisbane Test.” Sport: Pages 2-7
‘I understand there was an incident where Jonny Bairstow’s head connected with Cam Bancroft’s’