Ashes 2023: England left to question if spirit of cricket was compromised in Lord’s defeat

The tourists took a 2-0 Ashes lead as they wrapped up a 43-run victory in the second Test at the home of cricket, but a gripping five-day contest seems destined to be remembered for the flashpoint – as well as Stokes’ magnificent century in response.

Alex Carey’s opportunistic stumping of Bairstow was the pivot point, with the wicketkeeper throwing down the stumps as England’s No 7 wandered out of his crease in the belief that Cameron Green’s over was complete.

The letter of the law meant Yorkshire's Bairstow had to go as the ball was not officially considered dead, but a capacity Lord’s crowd reacted in outrage to what they saw as an underhand tactic. Deafening boos and endless refrains of “same old Aussies, always cheating” dominated for the rest of the day as Stokes blazed a defiant 155.

The 32-year-old’s brilliant best was not enough as he fell short of completing a 371-run chase and he could not hide his disappointment at the nature of the Bairstow stumping.

“The first thing that needs to be said is that it is out. But would I want to win a game in that manner? The answer for me is no,” he said.

“Jonny was in his crease, then left his crease to come out and have the conversation between overs like every batsman does.

“For Australia it was the matchwinning moment. If I was fielding captain at the time I would have put a lot more pressure on the umpires to ask them what their decision was around the (end of the) over. Then I would have had a real deep think about the spirit of the game.”

Asked if his approach would change for the rest of the series now that Australia had set the bar, Stokes said: “Would I do that back to them? No, I’m not looking to do something like that because they did it.”

Stokes did his best to block out the external noise while he was batting – a remarkable knock of controlled aggression, tactical strike rotation and brute force – but was taken aback by the unprecedented reaction at a ground known for its laidback ‘Lord’s hum’.

He expects more of the same at Headingley this week and expects the volume to be cranked up.

“I definitely think it’s going to be ramped up,” he said.

“When we go to Australia we get lambasted as well – 90,000 Australians at the MCG cursing at you. That’s part of the sport we play, you get thousands of people who want their team to win and they’ll just jump on something."

England head coach Brendon McCullum doubts his side will be “having a beer any time soon” with Australia’s players.

He said: “I think it was more about the spirit of the game and when you become older and more mature you realise the game and the spirit of it is something you need to protect.

“You have to make decisions in the moment and they can have effects on games and people’s characters.

“By the letter of the law he is out. Jonny was not trying to take a run and the umpires had called ‘over’.”