Peter Miller, a.k.a. ‘The Cricket Geek’, extracts the best cricket quotes, pics and videos in the first of our weekly social media round-ups. Find out who was the butt of all jokes and how WCM’s Phil Walker ignited an Ashes Twitter storm.
Four weeks ago, Jonny Bairstow met Australia’s new opening batsman Cameron Bancroft in a bar in Perth. Bairstow greeted him with a headbutt. It has been described as having “no malice” by Trevor Bayliss. Bancroft himself said that the whole thing was “really weird”. Too right!
Bancroft helped Australia go 1-0 up in the Ashes with a very well made 82 not out, celebrating with one of the most bizarre press conferences you’ll ever see. Asked to describe his experience with Bairstow in detail, you could see just how amusing he found the whole circus.
The best moment was when Bancroft confirmed that he had the “heaviest head in the Western Australia dressing room”. Yes, it has been measured.
Just wait for Steve Smith to absolutely lose it at the end of this video! ? #Ashes pic.twitter.com/S3UMqBfEZj
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 27, 2017
This headbutt-related nonsense was manna for the assembled media. Australian journalist Ben Horne reported that the incident was being discussed on the field, with the stump mic picking up David Warner saying: “You shouldn’t headbutt our mates.”
Triple M stump mic has picked up David Warner saying to Jimmy Anderson: “You shouldn’t headbutt our mates.”
— Ben Horne (@BenHorne8) November 27, 2017
The Australians found it all very funny.
Leading sport in today’s @dailytelegraph: All the news and analysis from @CricketAus #Ashes Test win + Bancroft’s hilarious post-match interview on THAT headbutt pic.twitter.com/gFyNs8e4FD
— telegraph_sport (@telegraph_sport) November 27, 2017
Stokes gets on a plane
In and amongst the headbutt revelations, England lost the first Test of the series, which made the English cricketing public further mourn the non-availability of Ben Stokes.
So, when Wisden Cricket Monthly editor-in-chief, Phil Walker, reported that Stokes was at Heathrow Airport, it sparked a Twitter storm.
Hearing that Stokesy’s at Heathrow…
— Phil Walker (@Phil_Wisden) November 27, 2017
Here he is!!! pic.twitter.com/jC1z0h74UQ
— Ross (@rossco_1990) November 27, 2017
;
Cricket journo Vithushan Ehantharajah then started working out which plane he might be getting on.
?#HereWeHereWeHereWeFuckingGo pic.twitter.com/4xZ3mNpljk
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) November 27, 2017
It turned out that Stokes was heading to New Zealand to sign-up for a stint in domestic cricket in New Zealand. Ehantharajah was not to be deterred, however; he found a way to get Stokes to Oz.
? #Ashes pic.twitter.com/8xhOXAKVE4
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) November 27, 2017
Hats off to The Sun for this brilliant Samuel L. Jackson-inspired headline.
Stokes on way to New Zealand to see his family and play some white ball cricket for Canterbury. pic.twitter.com/YgHrNszqS0
— John Etheridge (@JohnSunCricket) November 28, 2017
Instagram post of the week
Chris Gayle. Really good at cricket; even better at Instagram.
YouTube video of the week
Check out this RIDDUCATCH from Ahmad Shahzad for the Lahore Blues in a recent match in Pakistan.
Quote of the week
“I was expecting a handshake” – Cameron Bancroft
