The behaviour of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) members following Jonny Bairstow’s controversial dismissal during the second Ashes Test at Lord’s epitomised cricket’s class issues, says former England bowler Steve Harmison.
The MCC suspended three members after Australia players complained of “aggressive and abusive” treatment as they walked through the Long Room for lunch on day five of the match, which England lost by 43 runs. Usman Khawaja and David Warner were involved in a particularly heated exchange with members and the MCC has since released an “unreserved apology”.
In the build-up to the Test, a bombshell report had exposed widespread discrimination at all levels of the game, including racism, classism and sexism. The incident at the Home of Cricket has prompted renewed debate around perceived entitlement and elitism among members of the MCC, a highly exclusive club which requires recommendations from current members and an interview process to join.
“You saw the videos of the MCC members at Lord’s,” Harmison tells i.
“Quite ironic that the inquiry published their findings on the eve of the Test match and you see how it was going on at Lord’s when you see what happened in the Long Room and at the top of the stairs.
“That report tells you everything, and if you didn’t believe that report was true, just look at that passage of play and think we do have an issue in the game. And there is a problem.”
Harmison insists fans are entitled to be “partisan” given the treatment England players on tours face Down Under, but warns Lord’s could face major issues if future visiting teams refuse to walk in such close proximity to MCC members.
“As a player your safety is paramount and if anyone can get within touching distance like the MCC members can do, then the behaviour has got to be better than what it was.
“They can say what they want – I’m just surprised only three of them got thrown out. If I was Pat Cummins going into the next Test match, as a captain I’d be going to my board and security team saying ‘do we want that to happen again’?
“One thing’s for certain – if a touring team says we don’t want to be in close proximity to the public, then the MCC have got a serious problem. It would cost them a fortune to put dressing rooms at Lord’s.
“From a history point of view, walking through the Long Room is massive, it’s a great feeling. So for that to be taken away by the behaviour of the MCC this week, I’m not saying I wouldn’t be surprised but it’s one of those where you go, ‘do we really need to have these conversations?’”
That the unsavoury scenes took place at Lord’s, a ground renowned for its traditionalism and reserved atmosphere, has heightened the sense of shock. Yet Harmison insists the MCC – which considers itself the custodians of cricket and is responsible for the game’s laws – will not be too scarred by it because they believe they are “bigger than the game”.
“I’d like to think there are quite a few of them [MCC members], when they see the full thing in context they might look at themselves in a different light and go ‘hold on, was I right in protesting against what’s just happened?’” he adds.
“I’m not convinced that every single person that was shouting ‘cheat, cheat, cheat’ in that building wakes up the next morning and goes ‘I still believe that should have been given not out.’ There was a little bit of mob rule but did it tarnish the MCC? I don’t think they’ll bat an eyelid – they’re bigger than the game.”
Harmison was speaking to i in association with Online Cricket Betting
