Sir Geoffrey Boycott tells Australia they must APOLOGISE for Alex Carey’s controversial stumping

Former England captain Sir Geoffrey Boycott has called on Australia to issue ‘a full public apology’ for the controversial punching of Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s.

Bairstow was dismissed in bizarre circumstances as the tourists won the Second Test on a tense final day, with Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey throwing down the stumps after the batsman dived the last ball from the over and headed off to fight with partner Ben Stokes to talk.

The wicket was upheld by TV umpire Marais Erasmus who ruled that the ball was not dead, but Bairstow clearly felt the over was completed once he made his mark behind the crease line.

The incident provoked a furious reaction from the fans in attendance, who were jeered and jeered for the rest of the day, with even angry exchanges as Australia moved through the Long Room.

The English skipper Stokes suggested that he should have reversed the appeal and one of his most famous predecessors, Boycott, supported him in typically candid fashion.

Former England captain Sir Geoffrey Boycott has called on Australia to apologise

“Australia must reflect on what they have done and make a full public apology,” he wrote in the Daily telegram.

‘In this way the situation will be rectified and everyone can move on. These teams have played brilliant cricket with great spirit and it’s a shame when something like that spoils it all.

Australia has now had time to reflect on what happened. We all make mistakes in the heat of the moment.

“People will think better of the Australians if they raise their hands and say ‘we’re wrong’.

‘That’s the way to go. Let’s see in the next few days if they’re man enough to do that.

‘If you want to win at all costs then cricket shouldn’t be for you. We want people to play hard and fair, but there are standards we have to uphold, right? When batsmen are not trying to gain an advantage, you should not follow the letter of the law. Use a little common sense.’

Justin Langer, the former head coach in charge of Australia’s last two Ashes campaigns, has been on the other side of the debate.

He praised Carey for being responsive to the occasion and suggested that Bairstow was guilty of making himself vulnerable.

Australian captain Pat Cummins insisted there was nothing wrong with Carey’s actions

Former Australia coach Justin Langer defended Carey as a ‘flawless character’

“Alex Carey has, in my opinion, been unfairly criticized. His wicketkeeping was superb and he is also a man of impeccable character,” Langer told The Telegraph.

“Bairstow’s dreams shouldn’t come back to Carey. Not for a while. Quick thinking under pressure was the antithesis of Bairstow’s lack of awareness.

“In my opinion there is no way Australia wanted to break the spirit of the game. They have learned from past experience that there are no winners in this.

“In this case, the spirit of the game may have been broken by the same people throwing rocks and reacting without any recourse.”