The conclusion of the highly competitive and controversial Ashes series saw Australia retain the urn after a drawn 2-2 result. Following the fifth and final Test a🦹t The Oval, where England ♋secured a thrilling victory with a remarkable bowling display, it is customary for players and support staff from both teams to gather for a post-series drink session. However, reports suggest that England turned down this tradi﷽tion, leaving the Australian players and their contingent surprised and disappointe𒁏d.
After a dominant opening session, Australia appeared to be on course to win the series 3-1, needing just 146 more runs with seven wickets in hand. But, England’s bowlers put on a stunning display, taking four wickets in just 19 balls to turn the tide. The retiring Stuart Broad then took the final two wickets late in the game to secure a victory for Engl𒐪and𝓀 in the final Test.
Australia and England fail to share traditional post-series drinks
Despite the drawn series, Australia retained the Ashes urn, and the customary post-series drink session was ꦅanticipated to bring both teams together for camaraderie and celebration.
According to an Australian spokesperson, the England squad reportedly locked their dressing room after the post-match presentation, leꦗaving the Australian players waiting in confusion outside. The door was knocked on several times, but there was no response, and the Australian squad members had to wait for over an hour.
Now hearing that the Aussie players dꦉid ask the England team about getting tog꧑ether half a dozen times but didn’t get a response and that allegedly the home team stayed behind locked doors
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07)
English coach Brendon McCullum had previously mentioned that they did not want to share a drink with the Australian team, particularly in the wake of the controversy surrounding the Jonny Bairstow stumping incident at Lord’s.
“I can’t imagine we’ll be having a beer with them any time soon,” England’s red-ball coach said after the conclusion of Lord’s Test.
On the other hand, according to the England spokespe𓄧rson, the English camp had every intention of participating in the traditional post-series drink session. But, they were taken aback to discover that the Australian players had already departed from the premises before they could fi🃏nd them to extend the invitation.
“After the media commitments at the end of the Test, both teams had their families and friends celebrating and reminiscing in the respective dressing rooms. That lasted quite a long period. We then did our end-of-Test wrap-up, which included a number of presentations to our retired players and staff,” the English spokesperson was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning He𒐪rald
“After the formal proceedings we were going to invite Australia in for a drink and they had left. I’m not sure what the exact time was, but it was around 10.30 pm, 10.40 pm. There was no indication to say they had gone. It’s a great shame that a drink wasn’t shared and the opportunity of looking back on an epic series,” the spokesperson concluded.
