Did Umpire Think Ball Was Dead Too? Stuart Broad Gives New Twist To Jonny Bairstow Saga

Australia's 43-run win in the second Ashes Test at Lord's was nothing less than a sucker punch for England, especially after Jonny Bairstow was controversially stumped by Alex Carey. Bairstow's dismissal has sparked a debate over whether Carey and Australia's actions were in the 'spirit of cricket'. While a lot has been said and written with regards to the incident at Lord's, England pacer Stuart Broad feels that Bairstow wasn't trying to take any unfair advantage by leaving his crease.

"With regards to the Jonny incident, zero advantage was being taken there: he let the ball go, scratched his mark within the crease, and acknowledging it as the end of the over, went to speak to Ben Stokes," Broad wrote in his column for Daily Mail.

Broad also felt that even the leg umpire thought that it was the end of the over after Bairstow had ducked Cameron Green's delivery.

"And if you look at the footage of when the stumps were broken, one umpire has got the bowler's cap in his hand, the other is head down, walking in from square leg - actions that suggest they too thought the over had finished," he added.

Speaking of Australia, the visiting side was on the receiving end of a chorus of boos and abuses.

Carey and the Australian team have been harshly criticised over the incident, which has caused a massive outrage within the English media.

Heading into the third Test at Headingley on Thursday, the visitors lead 2-0, and a win or a draw in Leeds could see them retain the Ashes once again.

If the visitors win the third Test, Pat Cummins will become the first Australian skipper in 22 years to win an Ashes series in England.