Nathan Lyon reveals Aussie and English players had heated clash at Lord’s over Jonny Bairstow stumping

Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon has revealed how the fallout from Jonny Bairstow‘s controversial stumping extended afterwards into the lunchroom at Lord’s during the second Test.

Bairstow was dismissed 15 minutes before the break on the final day, with Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey throwing down the stumps after the batter ducked the last ball of the over and set off to talk to partner Ben Stokes.

The wicket was upheld by TV umpire Marais Erasmus, who judged that the ball was not dead, but Bairstow and his teammates felt the ruling and the Aussies’ decision not to rescind their appeal went against the spirit of the game.

The Australian team received a torrent of abuse as they were leaving the field and when they entered the Long Room from MCC members.

The lunch room at Lord’s is shared, so both teams soon came face-to-face again and words were exchanged.

Offspinner Nathan Lyon has explained how fallout from the Bairstow stumping extended into the lunchroom at Lord’s

Lyon said he stood between rival players in the lunchroom to try and calm things down

‘There were a few Australian guys and a few English guys in the lunchroom and I hobbled up on my crutches and stood in the middle of it and tried to calm things down a little bit.’ Lyon told the Willow Talk podcast.

‘Jonny (Bairstow) had a few words here or there. That’s all part of it, I’m all for it.’

Lyon also stated that he had no issues about the way that Bairstow was dismissed. 

‘I was in the change room and I just erupted. I was like ‘how good. Suck eggs. That’s out every day’,’ he said.

Lyon said he was was surprised by the behaviour of the MCC members in the Long Room, which later led to security being called.

‘The emotions in the room were quite remarkable,’ Lyon said.

‘Everyone was gobsmacked but found it hilarious because you walk through that Long Room and you’re more chance of getting sued than punched. So, you look at it like that and all these guys abusing you, and you’re like ‘what’s going on here?’.

‘It was quite funny in all respects.’

Lyon said he had no issues about the way that Bairstow was dismissed on the final day, saying it was ‘out every day’

Aussie players were abused by MCC members in the Long Room, which Lyon found ‘hilarious’

Lyon also recounted how a spectator approached him in tears to apologise for the abuse the Aussies were receiving. 

‘I actually had an older lady come up to me in tears, an English lady in tears from the main members’ area, and she said ‘I’ve got to go home. I just want to apologise to you Australian cricketers for the way everyone has reacted inside the Lord’s’, Lyon said.

‘I just told her don’t worry about it, we’re all okay, we’re not worried about getting sledged. But it hit home for me that Ashes cricket can affect so many people in different ways and just the actions of people can hit so many different people as well. 

‘It was a nice moment but an awkward moment with the lady in genuine tears about it all.’

The fourth Ashes Test gets underway in Manchester on Wednesday at at 8pm AEST.