2 days ago
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Several Australian media outlets have torn into at Ben Stokes’ England side, branding them ‘moral hypocrites’, after the team berated India for not immediately agreeing to a draw during the final hour of their third Test match against India on Sunday.
India had brilliantly fought back to deny England a series win in Manchester, but the match was soured after Stokes and his side appeared to become irritated by India’s decision not to accept a draw following the drinks break in the final session.
The tourists had six wickets in hand and led by 71 runs with 15 overs left to play. Meanwhile, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja had both batted superbly to bring up scores of 80 and 89, respectively. Sundar was approaching his first Test ton, while Jadeja was 11 runs off his first century of the series.
The batsmen wanted to continue playing as they looked to achieve the milestones, however, Stokes and his team-mates were frustrated by the decision.
The England captain was reluctant to want to bring his bowlers back into play again, following five days of action, with India continuing to refuse to agree to the draw.
Stokes then brought in batter Harry Brook to bowl, as the England players shot several sledges towards the Indian batters.
Ben Stokes (right) and England have been branded 'moral hypocrites' by several Aussie newspapers
The Bazballers were left irritated after India refused to shake hands for a draw during the final day of Sunday's fourth Test at Old Trafford
Several players, including Zak Crawley (second from left) had dished up sledges to Ravindra Jadeja (left) and Washington Sundar, who had opted not to shake hands for the draw as they looked to each seal centuries
‘You want to get a Test hundred against Harry Brook?’ Stokes was heard saying to Jadeja.
‘If you wanted to score a century, you should have batted like you wanted to get it.’
‘Just shake your hand. It’s embarrassing,’ Zak Crawley said to the Indian partnership.
An irritated Stokes appeared to throw Brook into the attack, having taken exception at India’s snub.
Brook, who managed three runs in England’s first innings, struggled with the ball, notably throwing a low full toss.
After Sundar had advanced to 95, he played a block to one of Brook’s deliveries, infuriating the Englishman who shouted: ‘F***ing hell Washy, get on with it. Get on with it mate.’
Players from around the field continued to chip at the batters, yelling: ‘Just hit a boundary’ and ‘How long do you need, an hour?’
With Brook in the bowling attack, the India batters needed only 15 more minutes to seal both of their centuries, with Brook expensing 24 runs off three overs, for an economy of 8.00.
Stokes remonstrated with the India players, who would go on to both score 100s before shaking hands for the draw
Multiple Australian outlets have lashed out at the Bazballers over the sour ending to the match, branding Stokes' side 'moral hypocrites'
Jadeja would smash Brook for six to bring up his ton, with Brook appearing to approach the pair and offer up a handshake while they were celebrating, but the Englishman was left hanging.
The Indian pair both brought up their centuries before then agreeing to call the match a draw.
The controversial ending to the match has left some within the cricketing world divided.
Stokes has been blasted for a double standard by members of the Australian media, with cricket journalist Daniel Brettig of The Age, calling on England to ‘spare us the whinging’ .
‘The only thing embarrassing about Old Trafford was your tantrum,’ he wrote.
Brettig also poked a barb back at Brook, making reference to England’s claims during the 2023 Ashes series that England would claim a ‘moral victory’ if they took victory in the final Test at The Oval, despite drawing the series 2-2.
‘Another comprehensive moral victory for England, then,’ he wrote.
Aussie outlet Code Sports also jumped on the same sledge.
In an act of protest, the England captain brought batter Harry Brook (left) on to bowl
Jadeja (right) and Sundar (left) would both go on to celebrate striking centuries at Old Trafford
‘Moral hypocrites England decide tons are anti-cricket,’ they wrote.
‘The new tough-talking, pot-stirring English cricket team is suffering from a baffling identity crisis on the eve of the Ashes tour, going into meltdown after two Indian batters had the audacity to tell them “no”,’ the outlet added.
Meanwhile, Courtney Walsh of Fox Sports, also blasted England for ‘claiming the moral high ground’ every time there was a contentious decision.
She claimed it was becoming a ‘sorry habit’
Walsh wrote: ‘The “Spirit of Cricket” is sleeping restlessly once again, tormented by an insufferable lot,’ before branding Stokes and his side ‘petulant’.
But it is not just the Aussies who have taken aim at England’s antics, with Sir Geoffrey Boycott, writing in his column in The Telegraph, branding the team ‘gobby’ while adding he wouldn’t have walked off had he worked as hard as Sundar and Jadeja to bring up scores in the 80s.
However, ex-England star Jonathan Trott appeared to claim that Stokes would have accepted the draw if things were the other way around.
‘I don’t think England would have had the personal milestones on their mind personally, that’s just my view. Maybe if somebody was close to getting it, their maiden century, it would have been a little bit different,’ Trott told Jio Hotstar.
‘You could tell by the way that Ben Stokes has reacted that if they were in the same seat, they probably would have shook the Indian captain’s hand if it was offered – if Shubman Gill went up to the English batsman and they were in the same position, they would have walked off.
‘That’s what Test cricket’s about. It’s played hard, it’s played fair, but there’s also a code and a sort of ethos that the game is played with equal respect for each other.’
England take a 2-1 lead into the final Test at the Oval which commences on Thursday.
