Australian Cricket Fan Put In His Place After Abusing Jonny Bairstow
Bairstow and Ben Stokes batted throughout the second session to save England from further embarrassment and were then abused by a fan.
Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes were verbally abused by one Australia fan on day three of the fourth Ashes Test and the Yorkshire batter had the perfect response. Check out the full exchange below.
Bairstow and Stokes were England's saviours on Friday, in the early hours of the morning for those in Britain, as the team's top order once again collapsed.
The pair managed to stay together throughout the middle session of the day, and went into tea with their partnership still in tact and thriving, not a given during this series for Joe Root's team.
However on their way back to the dressing room, for a well earned tea break, the pair were met by an Australian fan who shouted abuse at them from one stand across.
"Take your jumper off, Bairstow. Lose some weight, Bairstow," the home supporter shouted, probably not expecting a response of any sort.
Instead the pair stopped, stared at the idiot and when he ran from the scene the Yorkshire batter replied, "That’s right, just turn around and walk away. Weak as p**s."
Speaking about the incident at the close of play, Bairstow said, "It was a bit of bad-mouthing from the crowd.
"Obviously, it’s not the greatest, it’s not needed.
"We’re out there trying to do our jobs, people are there enjoying the cricket.
“Unfortunately, sometimes you have people who overstep the mark.
"I think it’s important to stand up for ourselves because if we’re not standing up for ourselves, you can cop it.
"When people overstep the mark, they need to be told.”
After Australia had reached 416-8 at the end of their innings on Thursday, England had survived the previous night without losing a wicket.
However Friday morning followed a similar pattern to the rest of the series and they soon found themselves 36-4, after Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan and Joe Root all failed to reach double figures, and Zak Crawley make 18.
That brought Bairstow and Stokes together, the pair had famously made 399 together in just 57.4 overs against South Africa six years before.
Whilst their heroics this time weren't quite as good, they did make 128 and drag England away from needing to follow on and Bairstow went on to make sure Australia bat again.
The Yorkshireman ended the day 103 not out, reaching three figures in the final over of the day despite a thumb injury, the first century for England this series.
Featured Image Credit: PA/Sydney Morning HeraldRyan Sidle