England coach Brendon McCullum expressed his disappointment over the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow on the final day of the Lord's Test on Sunday.
Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey chanced on the opportunity to run Bairstow out after the batter casually left the crease after the last ball of a Cameron Green over while the ball was still in play.
The decision was referred to the third umpire, who ruled it in the favour of the Australians.
Fans at the stadium booed the decision, with a footage emerging even showing them confronting the visiting players in the Long Room. Usman Khawaja and David Warner engaged with the crowd to scenes that were unprecedented in the venue's history.
The aftermath of the incident was seen during the press conferences, as players from both teams shared diverse opinions. McCullum, too, chimed in during an interview with BBC, and said, "I can't imagine we'll be having a beer with them any time soon."
He also claimed that if the home side had a similar opportunity, they would not have taken it as it was against the spirit of the game.
"I was lucky enough to play for a long period of time and you learn over a long period that the game and the spirit of the game is so vital to this great game," McCullum was quoted as saying. "It's one thing we've got that other sports maybe don't have, and to uphold that is such an important part of it. In the end you've got to live with the decisions you make, and that's life. But I feel from our point of view, if we were in the same situation, we might've made a different decision."
Australia captain Pat Cummins shared views different from McCullum, calling the dismissal fair. "I think Carey saw it happen a few balls previously. There was no pause. Catch it and throw it at the stumps. I thought it was totally fair play," Cummins said.
The broadcasters in fact validated Cummins' statement during the match, which showed Bairstow stepping out of the crease a couple of times when the ball was not in play.
It is fair to say that the third Test at Leeds will be another heated affair amidst the controversy.
Australia have gone up 2-0 with wins at Edgbaston and Lord's. England need to win the remaining three Tests to reclaim the urn.
