Jonny Bairstow hits back after abuse from Australian cricket fans

Bairstow was told to ‘lose weight’ by fans in the crowd during his heroic hundred

Jonny Bairstow hit a century in the fourth Ashes Test (Getty Images)

Jonny Bairstow says the “bad-mouthing” from the crowd aimed at his and Ben Stokes’ weight was “not needed” during the fourth Ashes Test, in which Bairstow hit a century.

The Ashes have already been lost to Australia with the hosts winning the first three Tests, but the tour will be played out. Bairstow put in a heroic shift to hit 103 unbeaten on day three of the latest Test.

However, a video went viral of Australian fans shouting abuse at England players, calling them “fat” and telling they needed to “lose weight”.

“It was just a bit of bad-mouthing from the crowd, it’s not the greatest, and it’s not needed,” Bairstow said after play. “We’re out there trying to do our jobs, people are out there enjoying the day’s cricket. Unfortunately, sometimes you have people who overstep the mark.

“I think it’s important to stand up for ourselves, because if we’re not standing up for ourselves as well then we can cop it. Especially when people overstep the mark, they need to be told.”

The fans who threw the insults at the players during the tea break were ejected from the stadium.

“It’d have been nicer if we were there giving it when we walked off at the end, wouldn’t it?” Bairstow said. “Unfortunately, they weren’t there at the end, they missed the end of a fantastic day of Test cricket.”

Bairstow soldiered through a thumb injury during the day and said it would have taken a lot worse to get him to stop playing.

“It takes quite a bit to get me off the park. Yes, it was sore, but the circumstances of the game... it was one of those where it was a decision I made to stay out there,” he said.

“The medics can give you advice, but you’re playing in an Ashes Test match, a New Year’s Day pink Test match at Sydney in front of a big crowd. It’s going to take a lot to get you away from that.”