LONDON (AP) — The Marylebone Cricket Club expelled one member and handed long suspensions to two others on Thursday following their clashes with Australia’s players during an Ashes test at Lord’s in July.
There were unprecedented scenes of uproar at the home of cricket after Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey threw down the stumps when England batter Jonny Bairstow wandered out of his crease without checking if the ball was dead.
The crowd accused Australia of cheating and Australian players Usman Khawaja and David Warner were abused in the Long Room by MCC members as they returned to their dressing room.
The MCC, which owns Lord’s and is the custodian and arbiter of the laws of cricket, apologized and said Carey was in the right, even if many, including players in the England team and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, believed Australia broke the unwritten “spirit of cricket.”
Three unnamed MCC members were punished after being charged with “abusive, offensive or inappropriate behavior or language.” One was expelled, another was suspended for 4 1/2 years and another is banned for 30 months.
“The actions of the three individuals in the pavilion on the day in question fell well below the behavior expected from our members,” the MCC said.
Australia asked the MCC to investigate, having said its players had been “physically contacted” as well as verbally abused.
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