Carey stumps Bairstow and the Spirit of Cricket

In almost every game of cricket at any level around the world, you will see a wicket keeper standing back to the fast and medium pace bowlers. At some stage during an innings, the wicket keeper will take the ball the batter either let's go or misses and, in the same motion under arm it back towards the stumps in the hope the batter is out of their crease.

It's been happening since the game began and every wicket keeper, including all our favourite test keepers, have done it at some stage.

Why now, when Alex Carey, in the same motion, does it in a test match for Australia against England and Jonny Bairstow strangely walks out of his crease and is run out are some people so upset and screaming from the rooftops?

https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/32/paul-ryan/blog/1241/carey-stumps-bairstow-and-the-spirit-of-cricket

As always, right on the ball Mr Ryan. I find it somewhat poignant that Bairstow was the victim. In a court of law my question to Johnny Bairstow would be: "So, explain this to me like I'm a 6 year old. When you are keeping and you are standing back to a quick bowler and you see a batsman wandering out of his crease, you try to stump him by throwing the ball at the stumps, correct? YES, THAT IS CORRECT. So, when you are batting does it ever cross your mind that the opposing keeper might do the same thing? I GUESS I'D NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT THAT WAY. I rest my case your honour." You know what I hate about winnng an Ashes Test? NOTHING!

I kept for Northern District 1sts for 12 years and must have tried it about 100 times but missed.
Perfectly legit. It is now coming out about Bairstow. The moral high ground is a very slippery place.
And as for those chinless MCC members, with their breakfast on their ties, I won't say anything.
Don't say anything, if you can't say anything nice.

Well said Paul. Bairstow wandering out of his crease was just the most notable example of dumb cricket in this most "dumbest" of tests. Dumb plans, dumb captaincy, dumb bowling & dumb batting - it just fitted nicely.

Absolutely spot on mate

Its within the rules of the game and so is taking a catch (which I thought was ok) and then bracing your self to control your body as you fall. So its a fair decision in all aspects of the game and within the laws of cricket.
If there is an issue, change the law by all means.

I think English commentary and cricket per se have greater things to worry about than the Bairstow 'out' .

In the recent 317 page report by The Independent Commission for Equality in Cricket found divisions exist at every level — from village greens to the international arena. A total of 44 recommendations have been made, including a call for equal pay for male and female international players by 2030. Some of the key findings
– Racism is entrenched in English cricket.
– Women are marginalised and routinely experience sexism and misogyny.
– Class barriers are not addressed.
– The complaints system is not fit for purpose.
– Equality, diversity and inclusion must be improved.

ANd it would appear that this attitude is also present in certain members of Lords as displayed last night

Enough of the sermon, sorry Paul

2 nil up

The onus is on the batsman to maintain their ground at all times whilst the ball is live. It’s out, end of story.

Nup. Carey was 100% within his rights to do so. Bairstow had a brain explosion and Carey took full advantage.

Being in your crease until the ball is dead is the batter's responsibility. If they aren't capable of accepting that, consider other sports.

I don’t think Carey did anything wrong, I don’t think Cummins did anything wrong. I think Bairstow was #careless (just like his keeping) and I also think B-road was a complete hypocrite telling Cummins and Carey what he thought on the field: Inremember him not walking having smacked it to the keeper in an Ashes series years ago.
I am a massive advocate of protecting the Spirit of Cricket especially embedding this with junior cricketers as there is far too much crass talk on cricket fields these days.
However in this match, in this moment even as an England supporter I don’t think this relevant.

Paul, not sure that I agree with everything you say. As a keeper, during a long career, I did attempt and sometimes succeeded to stump a batter when standing back. However I did it when either the batter was standing out of his ground to begin with in order to gain an advantage over the bowler by forcing him to bowl a different length or because he left his ground to meet the ball at a length that he preferred (again trying to gain an advantage). That is where there can be a comparison with a stumping when the keeper is standing up. I don't believe that either of the above could be levelled at Bairstow in this instance. The Laws are on Carey's side so we have to accept it. Doesn't mean that we have to like it.

I'd suggest case closed

Hey Paul,
I totally agree with all you said. However, let me give a slightly different perspective, as I was quite unsettled by the whole incident at the time, and the reaction since. Even more so given the hysteria from the English public and the press.
The whole issue was unusual. I believe both captains were right.
Bairstow was negligent, and lazy, but he genuinely thought it was the end of the over and wasn’t trying to take an advantage. Cummins decision was based on the rules and a plan, nothing wrong with that. Stokes saw it differently, and I thought handled it well, no abuse, just got on with it, smiled and shook hands after the match. His comment at the press conference was balanced, and expressed his own values.
If the ball had missed the stumps and a run was on offer, would Bairstow have run? I think yes. Would Stokes have sent him back? I think yes. Just a different way of looking at things.
The spirit of cricket, show respect, play to the rules, accept the umpire’s decision. In my experiences, I tried to think in terms of the “smell test”.
• Is it legal?
• Is it fair?
• How will it make you feel about yourself?
As it is all done and dusted, my question is, how will all the players react. I am hoping the Aussies arc-up over the unfair hysteria and get stuck in. My fear is Cummins, in particular, may really think about his decision, as his character has been scrutinised by all and sundry, and this may not be to our advantage.