"Bairstow is an idiot."Wrong, he was being dozy/careless/trusting. The whole issue resolves over the question of whether Bairstow was intending to benefit from his action (he clearly wasn't). There is a parallel issue in Mankad dismissals (where the batsman at the bowler's end backs up excessively as the bowler runs up, and is run out as a result. The intention there is to gain an advantage, but even in such cases there's been heavy criticism of the action, it being argued that a warning should first be delivered.In the Bairstow case, although everyone agrees the umpire's decision was technically correct, a warning should have been given: "Next time you do that, you're out!"). Things are made more complicated by the fact that, although the umpire had not called "over" to end the over, one was already taking the bowler's cap out of his pocket and both umpires were walking towards their next station.It's not the first time the Australians have been acting dubiously: in Capetown a few years ago, one of their bowlers were found sandpapering the ball (again, to gain advantage), and the captain, Steve Smith, who knew about the cheating, and the vice captain, David Warner, who instigated it, were subsequently banned for a year. Justin Langer took over as head coach and immediately started action to restore Australian cricket's integrity; he must be gritting his teeth now.
Richard Carter ● 713d