MCC takes strict Action after Usman Khawaja condemns ‘disrespectful’ behaviour from members
The renowned Lord’s, known as the “Mecca of Cricket,” witnessed ugly scenes that Usman Khawaja described as “pretty disrespectful” on Sunday afternoon in the prestigious Long Room as the team was making their way back to the dressing room following the conclusion of the first session of the final day of the second Ashes Test. The MCC members are accused of abusing two Australian players.
When the Australians proceeded to their dressing room for lunch, Khawaja and David Warner got into a furious argument with MCC members, and the umpires had to step in to stop it. On Sunday night, MCC announced the suspension of three members pending an inquiry.
MCC takes severe action against ‘three members’ in connection with Usman Khawaja incident in Lord’s Long Room
After the incident, Cricket Australia demanded a probe right away, and MCC responded by taking harsh action against “three members” while an investigation is ongoing.
Cricket Australia released a statement after the event. “Australian management has requested the Marylebone Cricket Club [MCC] investigate several incidents involving spectators in the members area during lunch on day five of the Lord’s Test,” a spokesperson for Cricket Australia said.
“If anyone asked me where the best place is to play I always say Lord’s,” Khawaja added. “The crowd is great, particularly the members are great, and some of the stuff that was coming out of the members’ mouths is really disappointing and I wasn’t just going stand by and cop it. So I just talked to a few of them.
“A few of them were throwing out some pretty big allegations and I just called them up on it and they kept going, and I was like, well, this is your membership here. So I’m just pointing them out. But it’s pretty disrespectful, to be honest. I just expect a lot better from the members.”
Tempers flared at Lord’s after Bairstow was given out when Alex Carey threw down the stumps with the batter having left his crease for the end of the over – but without the ball having been called dead. Loud booing was heard around the ground, and continued for the rest of the game, though Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, said afterwards that the dismissal was within the laws and “totally fair play”.
“MCC came and apologised for the behaviour of some of the members,” Cummins added in his post-match press conference. “I think some of them might lose their memberships over the way they behaved. Other than that one time, they were fantastic all week. I think they were just quite aggressive and abusive towards some of our players, which I know the MCC weren’t too happy with.”
While the three MCC members have now been suspended pending investigation and that they will not make an entry into the venue until the conclusion of the inquiry, MCC made an unequivocal apologies to the Australian team in a statement released seconds after the game.
“It is alleged players and staff from the Australian team were verbally abused, with some being physically contacted, as they made their way to lunch through the members area.”
Also read: Extraordinary Bairstow run out ignites controversy on final day of Ashes
Thank you for reading.
