Stokes questions if Bairstow exit in ‘spirit of the game’

Shortly before lunch on Sunday’s final day, Bairstow — the last of England’s recognised batsmen — fell for 10 in bizarre fashion when he wandered out of his ground after ducking a Cameron Green bouncer and quick-thinking wicketkeeper Alex Carey under-armed the ball onto the stumps.

Bairstow thought he had secured his ground by tapping his bat behind the crease.

Australia captain Pat Cummins could have withdrawn the appeal but the decision was referred to third umpire Marais Erasmus, who ruled Bairstow had been stumped, with England now 193-6 chasing a target of 371.

As spectators jeered the decision and taunted Australia with chants of “Same old Aussies, always cheating”, an angry Stokes then on 62, launched a blistering assault on the bowling.

The all-rounder made a stunning 155 but his brilliant innings could not prevent England falling to a 43-run defeat as Australia went 2-0 up in the five-match series. Bairstow had been dismissed off the last ball of the over, with Stokes suggesting the movement of the umpires may have led him to think the ball was dead. “When is it justified that the umpires have called over?,” Stokes told the BBC.

“Is the onfield umpires making movement, is that enough to call over? I’m not sure. Jonny was in his crease then out of his crease. I am not disputing the fact it is out because it is out.”

However, he added: “If the shoe was on the other foot I would have put more pressure on the umpires and asked whether they had called over and had a deep think about the whole spirit of the game and would I want to do something like that.

“For Australia, it was the match-winning moment.

“Would I want to win a game in that manner? The answer for me is no.”