Usman Khawaja slams ‘disrespectful’ behaviour from MCC members

Australia opener Usman Khawaja has slammed the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) members for using the “abusive language” when they were making their way to the pavilion after the morning session. Usman Khawaja and David Warner were seen having animated discussions with MCC members in the Long Room, while walking back into the dressing room at the lunch, with the stewards having to intervene.
“It was really disappointing,” Khawaja said on Channel Nine.
“Lord’s is one of my favourite places to come. There’s always respect shown at Lord’s, particularly in the Members Pavilion in the Long Room, but there wasn’t today. It was very disappointing.

Usman Khawaja was pulled back security after speaking to one the members inside the long room 😳
🗣️ “I’ve NEVER seen scenes like that!” pic.twitter.com/2RnjiNssfw
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 2, 2023
place is to play I always say Lord’s,” Khawaja added. “The crowd is great, particularly the members are great, and some of the stuff that was coming out of the members’ mouths is really disappointing and I wasn’t just going stand and cop it. So I just talked to a few of them.

“A few of them were throwing out some pretty big allegations and I just called them up on it and they kept going, and I was like, well, this is your membership here. So I’m just pointing them out. But it’s pretty disrespectful, to be honest. I just expect a lot better from the members.”
The MCC released a statement apologising to the Australian team for the incident.
“The Long Room is unique in world cricket and the great privilege of players passing through the Pavilion is very special,” the statement read.
“After this morning’s play, emotions were running high, and words were unfortunately exchanged with some of the Australian team, a small number of members.
“We have unreservedly apologized 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 we are pleased to say that there was no repeat of this as the players resumed the field for this afternoon’s session.”
Asked about the Bairstow dismissal, Khawaja said: “It’s is what it is. We copped the same thing at Edgbaston. Obviously, it’s a little different here. It’s disappointing, to say the least. You know, we always try to play the cricket, in our best spirits, and we’ve said since Patty has taken over, since Andrew McDonald has taken over, winning is as important as how we win.
“The decision again was in the umpire’s hands. If the umpire deemed it a dead ball today, it was a dead ball. Just like yesterday’s catch Mitchell Starc, which was ruled not out. We don’t fully agree with it, but you have to accept the umpire’s decision.
“That’s why the umpires are there. So I mean, there’s always grey areas in cricket. And the way it played out I guess in some respects, is kind of disappointing. I love Stuey [Stuart] Broad. I think he’s one of my favourite cricketers. The way he plays, the way he’s always got a smile on his face and he was pretty riled up out there, which you don’t want to see. But yeah, it is what it is.”

The tempers flared following the controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow.
“MCC came and apologised for the behaviour of some of the members,” Australia captain Pat Cummins said in the post-match conference.
“I think some of them might lose their memberships over the way they behaved. Other than that one time, they were fantastic all week. I think they were just quite aggressive and abusive towards some of our players, which I know the MCC weren’t too happy with.”