Spirit of Cricket Culture War #1 Johnson & Sunak
On the last day of the Second Ashes Test at Lords England’s Jonny Bairstow was given out stumped by the umpire as he had wandered out of his crease before ‘over’ had been called. It was a mistake by Bairstow a very experienced player and TV footage showed he had done the same on earlier balls.
Ben Stokes noted that to appeal for a dismissal, which the Australian keeper Carey did, was not in the spirit of cricket and Bairstow should have been informally warned by the Australian captain first.
Perhaps but there was no question Bairstow was out and the Umpire right too to give him out.
Rishi Sunak who actually likes cricket has now weighed in and started a Spirit of Cricket Culture War.
In fact however as Sunak no doubt knows the Culture War had already been started by Johnson
Johnson has given an interview to the Junior Chronicle, the Eton boys magazine, edited by Peter Rees Mogg. He argued that if you’re a batsman and the Umpire gives you out behind even though you know the ball hit your pad and not the bat, you respect the Umpire and walk.
However as the House of Commons voted on 19th June Johnson is a liar and his version of Bazball continues to be about himself winning. Hence he has told The Times that there is always another innings, W G Grace style.
This point is also in the spirit of cricket which is really about gamesmanship or more practically how to cheat while claiming to hold to time honoured principles
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