Brendon McCullum’s old video of clarifying Muttiah Muralitharan’s run-out goes viral after Jonny Bairstow’s controversial wicket

Brendon McCullum and Jonny Bairstow. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Jonny Bairstow’s controversial run-out on the final day of the Lord’s Test has kicked off another debate surrounding the ‘Spirit of the Cricket’. A vociferous crowd at Lord’s jeered the actions of the Aussies after Bairstow was adjudged run-out by the third umpire. Incidentally, an old clip of now-England coach Brendon McCullum from 2016 is doing the rounds on social media after the incident.

McCullum, who was the designated wicketkeeper for the Kiwis at the time, apologised to Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan after running out the spin legend in a similar fashion in 2006. McCullum, addressing the 2016 MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture, had run out Muralitharan after he left the crease to congratulate Sangakkara on his century.

On that Jonny Bairstow run out.

Brendon McCullum, now England coach, in Christchurch in 2006, ran out Muttiah Muralitharan in a same way but later apologised. Kumar Sangakkara was celebrating the century after a run when Murali thought the ball was dead and left the crease. pic.twitter.com/RRmsnKEv5H

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) July 2, 2023

Lord’s witnessed the controversy after Jonny Bairstow ventured out of the crease to have a chat with his skipper and batting partner Ben Stokes at the other end. Meanwhile, Alex Carey, who had thrown the ball casually towards the stumps, appealed for a run-out as Bairstow was out of the crease after the ball broke the stumps.

🤐🤐🤐#EnglandCricket #Ashes pic.twitter.com/dDGCnj4qNm

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 2, 2023