Lord's cricket boss suspends three members following altercation with Australia players

Three cricket club members have been suspended after Australia captain Pat Cummins revealed his team experienced “aggressive and abusive” behaviour on the last day of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.

A flashpoint occurred on the eve of lunch on day five when Jonny Bairstow was dismissed in controversial fashion, after Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey threw the ball at the stumps at the conclusion of Cameron Green’s over.

Bairstow had already left his crease to speak with Ben Stokes, under the impression it was a dead ball with the over finished, but was given out and it saw the Lord’s crowd respond with hostility towards the tourists.

Boos greeted the Australians when they left the pitch at lunch and television cameras picked up an exchange in the Long Room between MCC members and both Usman Khawaja and David Warner with security forced to step in.

“Further to the earlier statement, MCC can confirm it has suspended three members identified from earlier today,” an MCC statement read.

“They will not be permitted back to Lord’s whilst the investigation takes place and were informed of this by MCC chief executive, Guy Lavender, this evening.

“We maintain that the behaviour of a small number of members was completely unacceptable and, whilst there was no suggestion by Pat Cummins in the post-match press conference that there was any physical altercation, it remains wholly unacceptable to behave in such a way, which goes against the values of the club.

“MCC condemns the behaviour witnessed and once again we re-iterate our apology to Cricket Australia.

“We are thoroughly disappointed to be talking about poor behaviour when the Long Room, as stated by Pat Cummins himself, is otherwise renowned for being ‘really welcoming’. It