The Ashes 2023 reached new heights of excitement when the United Kingdom Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, engaged in a friendly banter with his Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, on Tuesday, July 11. Sunak further fueled the cricket rivalry by reminding Albanese of the infamous sandpaper gate scandal that occurred five years ago.
Sunak and Albanese met during the 2023 Vilnius NATO Summit on Wednesday and turned the occasion into a sporting contest. First, the Australian PM presented Sunak with a photo showing Australia leading the Ashes 2023 by 2-1. In response, Sunak shared a picture of Mark Wood and Chris Woakes celebrating a comeback win at the Headingley Test.
Albanese then took the contest to the next level by teasing Sunak with a picture of Jonny Bairstow's controversial dismissal by Alex Carey in the Lords Test. He jokingly said, "I was going to be really proactive." Sunak, in a light-hearted manner, reminded Albanese of Australia's involvement in the infamous sandpaper gate scandal in 2018, saying, "I'm sorry I didn't bring my sandpaper with me."
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The English media and fans felt cheated by Bairstow's dismissal in Lords. Many former cricketers raised concerns about the rules and the spirit of cricket, criticizing the Australian cricket team for not withdrawing their decision.
Sunak also expressed his agreement with Ben Stokes, who stated that he wouldn't want to win a game in the manner Australia did. Mr. Sunak's official spokesman had previously stated this after the incident, highlighting the break between overs when the English wicketkeeper left his mark to join Ben Stokes at the other end.
Meanwhile, on the pitch, both Australia and England are giving their best to make this one of the most talked-about Ashes series. With a 2-1 lead, Australia remains the favorite to clinch the famous trophy. However, England will enter the fourth Test match in Manchester, commencing on July 19, with a renewed sense of motivation following their triumphant victory at Headingly.
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