'What is a shame for Australians is that...' - Ian Bell speaks up about Australia's victory at Lord's, shares his thoughts about Jonny Bairstow's dismissal

Ian Bell (Source: Twitter)

The controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow, which cost England the second Ashes Test, ignited a torrent of debate over the 'spirit of the game'. Former cricketers and fans have different opinions on this, with some sympathising with Bairstow and others praising wicket-keeper Alex Carey's presence of mind and smart game.

Chasing 371 in the final innings at Lord's, England needed 257 runs and Australia needed six wickets to win on Day 5. It was in the 52nd over Bairstow ducked to escape a short delivery from Cameron Green before walking out of his crease, assuming the ball was dead. Carey, who collected the ball from behind the stumps, made a direct hit with an underarm throw.

With the incident garnering attention in the cricket fraternity and adding spice to the rest of the matches, former England batter Ian Bell has now given his take on the matter. Bell said Carey had every right to dismiss Bairstow, but added that it would be an embarrassment for Australia as the win will always be remembered for the incident rather than their impressive performance.

"I have no issue with the decision to give him out though. The rules are clear. It was out. Whether Australia should have withdrawn the appeal is up for debate though. What is a shame for Australians is that this win will be remembered for this incident, rather than the really impressive cricket they played, when conditions were against them for the majority of the time," the right-handed batter said.

"Jonny will know that it’s on him": Ian Bell on Bairstow's dismissal

Bairstow was the last recognised batter to partner with skipper Ben Stokes after Ben Duckett's dismissal on Day 5. Stokes produced a brilliant knock to complete his 13th Test century but was unable to cross the finish line as England were bowled out for 327. However, Bell believes that Bairstow's lack of concentration lost him the wicket.

"Jonny will know that it’s on him. In the heat of the moment, with the crowd riled and his teammates angry about what had occurred he may have been feeling aggrieved. But once everything has cooled off, I suspect he will be bitterly disappointed that a moment of poor concentration has been so costly," the 41-year-old said.