'The stumping was as much out as mine wasn't out' - Mitchell Starc defends Jonny Bairstow's controversial dismissal on Day 5 of second Ashes Test

Day five of the second Test of Ashes 2023 at Lord’s came to a dramatic end as Australia won the match by 43 runs. The entire day was full of action as England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow was run out by his Australian counterpart Alex Carey as the former took a stroll out of his crease after ducking a bouncer by Cameron Green. Sensing an opportunity, Carey threw the ball towards the stumps and managed to hit it.

The entire Australian team appealed and Bairstow was given out. The dismissal sparked a controversy with the entire cricketing fraternity divided on its legitimacy. Speaking after the match, Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc said that the mode of dismissal was out in the same manner his catch was deemed not out on Day 4 as per the rule books.

"The stumping was as much out as mine wasn't out,” Starc was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

Notably, Starc took a sliding catch of Ben Duckett late on Day 4 at fine leg. At first, the batter was given out after checking that bowler Cameron Green hadn’t overstepped. However, the replays showed that Starc had brushed the ball to the ground while completing the catch and hence Duckket was called back to continue his innings. The decision irked the entire Australian team and several former cricketers who expressed their disappointment in it. 

At all times, I thought I had control of the ball: Mitchell Starc

Speaking of the catch, Mitchell Starc said that he had full control of the ball and that many catches in the past have been similar. Hence. his catch was well within the rules and everyone should move on ahead from it.

“At all times, I thought I had control of the ball. There have been plenty of catches in the past that I think have been very similar and been deemed fair, perhaps not been looked at as closely. To the letter of the law, it's not out and we move on,” he added.

The dramatic Test ended with Australia taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. England captain Ben Stokes tried his best with his knock of 155 (214) but couldn’t take his team home. As a result, Australia are now just one game away from winning their first Ashes series in England after 2001.