Ashes: MCC restricts access of its members after Long Room incident at Lord’s Test | Cricket News – Times of India

LONDON: The MCC has acknowledged the misconduct of some of its members during the Lord’s Test, which involved verbal abuse directed at the Australian cricketers.
The club expressed deep disappointment in the incident and has vowed to take a stricter approach to address this unacceptable behavior.
As a consequence, the MCC has restricted the access of these members in the Long Room.
In response to the incident, the MCC has already issued an unconditional apology to the Australian team. Furthermore, the club has taken action by suspending three members involved in the misconduct.
The MCC is committed to ensuring that such incidents do not occur in the future and will continue to address and rectify any inappropriate behavior from its members.
“I cannot downplay the impact that the behaviour of a few members has had on the perception of our club. The members shown on camera have brought shame on MCC,” MCC chair Bruce Carnegie-Brown wrote in an email to Club’s members according to the ‘Guardian’.
“Their actions hinder our efforts to promote the positive things our club does to promote and celebrate the game of cricket. Their actions inhibit our ability to carry out our role as guardian of the laws of cricket and the spirit of cricket.”
Australia batters Usman Khawaja and David Warner were involved in a heated exchange with spectators in the Long Room, which is an area reserved only for MCC members and their guests, following Jonny Bairstow’s controversial stumping on the final day of the Lord’s Test.
Khawaja was pulled back by security guards. Warner was also seen making a comment to some of the members, with security forced to step in.
The Custodian of the game’s laws, MCC has decided to “expand the roped-off area through which players walk when they go between the dressing rooms and the pitch” and also barred members from using the stairs while teams are walking through the building.
The new rules will be implemented for the first time during Australia women’s T20 against England on Saturday.
“It has been my privilege to stand many times in the Pavilion to witness the brilliant reception teams receive as they go out to the middle and return. The knowledge, respect and support shown by MCC Members has hitherto been a source of great pride,” Carnegie-Brown wrote.
“Since Sunday, probing questions have been asked as to whether the route players take from dressing room to pitch can be considered appropriate in future. It disappoints me greatly to be having those conversations.”
The unpleasant exchange came after Bairstow’s dismissal, which took place half an hour before lunch.
Bairstow had ducked a slow bouncer and immediately left his crease to meet skipper Ben Stokes at the other end, thinking the ball was already “dead”.
However, wicketkeeper Alex Carey under-armed the ball onto his stumps and the Australians celebrated. Bairstow was given out for 10 after a brief review.
While there is no doubt that Bairstow was out under the laws of the game, many including England coach Brendon McCullum and Stokes believe the dismissal was not in the spirit of the game.
After the dismissal, Australian team was booed and jeered with chants of “same old Aussies, always cheating” reverberating at the Lord’s.