Ashes 2023: MCC issues apology to Cricket Australia over Usman Khawaja's long room spat

Australia maintain their lead in the Ashes 2023 after beating England in the 2nd Test at Lord’s Stadium. The World Test Cricket champions have been unbeaten in the Ashes 2023 so far. However, Australian batter Usman Khawaja was involved in a heated exchange at Lord’s on Day 5 during lunch with a MCC member. 

3 things you need to know

• Australia won the second Test at Lord’s by 43 runs
• England trail the Ashes series 2023  by 2-0
• MCC issues an apology to the Australian cricket team

What happened during the Lunch of Day 5 in the 2nd of the Ashes 2023?

During the lunch break on Day 5 of the second Test of the Ashes 2023, Australian batter Usman Khawaja was embroiled in a heated discussion with members of the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club) when the batter and his team members were walking towards their restroom. On the final day, Khawaja and his Australian teammates were on their way to lunch when the incident occurred in Lord's Long Room. The two got into a confrontation when the member yelled something at Khawaja. Whatever the words were, they didn't seem to please Khawaja, who seemed upset and moved towards the members before being stopped by security, who held him and the MCC member away. Not only Khawaja, but Australia’s David Warner was also involved in a heated argument with the members.

Also Read: WATCH: Usman Khawaja Has Ugly Spat With English Crowd At Lord's, Security Intervenes

MCC issues clarification on the Usman Khawaja longroom incident

According to the SkySports, a MCC official spoke out about what transpired and apologised to Cricket Australia for the incident during the ENG vs AUS 2nd Test match.

 The Long Room is unique in world cricket, and the great privilege of players passing through the Pavilion is very special. After this morning's play, emotions were running high, and words were unfortunately exchanged with some of the Australian team by a small number of Members, we have unreservedly apologised to the Australian Team and will deal with any Member who has not maintained the standard we expect through our disciplinary processes. It was not necessary to eject anyone from the ground and I am pleased to say that there was no repeat of this as the players resumed the field for this afternoon's session," 

Following the incident involving Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja and members of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at Lord's, an MCC spokesperson expressed regret and issued an apology to Cricket Australia. The spokesperson’s statement acknowledged the Long Room's special significance in the world of cricket as well as the honour it is for players to go through the Pavilion. They clarified that during the morning's play, feelings were highly charged for the ENG vs AUS match, resulting in regrettable verbal confrontations between a few MCC members and the Australian side.

Also Read: 'I'm Not Sure Whether He'll Be Happy': Sunil Chhetri Narrates Unheard Virat Kohli Tale

The statement went on to say that the MCC had extended honest apologies to the Australian squad and that any member who failed to reach their required standards will face appropriate disciplinary action. They did not, however, remove anyone from the ground, and the situation did not reoccur when play started in the afternoon session.

The statement reflects the MCC's commitment to upholding the spirit of the game and maintaining a respectful environment for all players. By apologizing to Cricket Australia and acknowledging the need for disciplinary processes, the MCC aims to address the incident and ensure that such situations are handled appropriately in the future.