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The British and Australian prime ministers have traded verbal bouncers after a controversial Test match between the two sides that has rocked the usually genteel world of cricket. Amid allegations of bad sportsmanship, cheating and verbal abuse after Australia took a 2-0 Ashes series lead on Sunday, political leaders have now waded in. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak fired first, sending a spokesman out to decry the dismissal of English batsman Jonny Bairstow<\/a> — who was stumped during what he appeared to think was a pause in play.<\/p>\n Bairstow’s dismissal was just not cricket, Sunak’s spokesman suggested.<\/p>\n “The prime minister agrees with (England captain) Ben Stokes<\/a> who said he simply wouldn’t want to win a game in the manner that Australia did,” the spokesman said.<\/p>\n On Tuesday Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a keen cricket fan, shot back that he was “proud” of Australia’s “men’s and women’s cricket teams, who have both won their opening two Ashes matches against England.”<\/p>\n “Same old Aussies — always winning!” he added. “(I) look forward to welcoming them home victorious.”<\/p>\n Sunak — who is also a cricket fan and watched with Prince William from the Lord’s pavilion on Saturday — did deplore abuse directed at the Australians by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) members.<\/p>\n Three individuals have had their MCC membership suspended pending an investigation.<\/p>\n “He thinks it was right that the MCC have taken swift action to suspend any members accused of poor behaviour,” the spokesman said.<\/p>\n Sunak, though, has no intention of lodging an official protest with Albanese, to reprise the serious diplomatic strains created by England’s “Bodyline” tactics in the infamous 1932-33 Ashes Down Under.<\/p>\n While there is a “friendly rivalry” over sport between the two leaders, Sunak does not view cricket as a core diplomatic issue, the spokesman remarked.<\/p>\n “The game did provide an opportunity to see Ben Stokes at his best and it was an incredible Test match — he has confidence that England will bounce back,” he added, after Stokes hit a blazing 155 in his second innings despite his side falling 44 runs short of victory.<\/p>\n ‘Galvanised’<\/strong><\/p>\n The third Test gets underway at Headingley on Thursday, with Australia aiming to secure a much coveted Ashes win away from home.<\/p>\n