The Marylebone Cricket Club has suspended three members after an altercation with the Australian cricket team at Lord’s on the last day of the second Ashes Test.
The club had earlier “unreservedly apologised” over the behaviour of some of its members in the Long Room after the touring side alleged several players were “verbally abused” or “physically contacted” as they returned to the dressing room at lunch.
“They will not be permitted back to Lord’s whilst the investigation takes place,” the MCC said in a statement.
“We maintain that the behaviour of a small number of members was completely unacceptable and whilst there was no suggestion by [Australia captain] Pat Cummins in the post-match press conference that there was any physical altercation, it remains wholly unacceptable to behave in such a way, which goes against the values of the club.
“MCC condemns the behaviour witnessed and once again we reiterate our apology to Cricket Australia.”
Shortly before the interval, with England on 193 and chasing a distant 371, the England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow had been controversially dismissed in a long-range stumping from Alex Carey.
The batter had left his ground in the belief that an over had been concluded, having allowed a bouncer to pass through to the Australian wicketkeeper. Though there was no doubting Bairstow was out under the laws of the game, there was widespread feeling around Lord’s that it was not in the spirit.
Australia’s players were booed and jeered from the field at lunch, but reaching the Pavilion brought no respite from the chorus of indignation. Sky broadcast a few seconds of footage of the players walking through the Long Room, an area only for MCC members and their guests.
England’s batters, Ben Stokes and Stuart Broad, were applauded and cheered but when the fielding side followed them the atmosphere turned. Security was required to hold members back from physically confronting Australia’s players and staff, and both Usman Khawaja and David Warner had to be pulled away from the scene after pausing to engage in heated, finger-pointing debate.
“Australian management has requested the Marylebone Cricket Club investigate several incidents involving spectators in the members area during lunch on day five of the Lord’s Test,” Cricket Australia said in a statement. “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.”
An MCC spokesperson previously said: “The Long Room is unique in world cricket and the great privilege of players passing through the Pavilion is very special. After this morning’s play, emotions were running high, and words were unfortunately exchanged with some of the Australian team, by a small number of members.
“We have unreservedly apologised to the Australian team and will deal with any member who has not maintained the standard we expect through our disciplinary processes. It was not necessary to eject anyone from the ground and I am pleased to say that there was no repeat of this as the players resumed the field for this afternoon’s session.”
Australia went on to win the Test by 43 runs, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
