September 24, 2026
#Sports

‘Strange’ for Oz asking fans not to boo Smith, Warner: Bairstow

Australians asking fans at the World Cup to stop booing David Warner and Steve Smith was “a bit strange” as their former coach Darren Lehmann had once told supporters to jeer England’s Stuart Broad, the hosts’ batsman Jonny Bairstow has said. “I’ve read that Justin Langer, the Australia coach, and Virat Kohli have asked supporters not to boo Steve Smith and Warner. I’m not sure that makes any difference,” England opening batsman Bairstow wrote in a column for The Telegraph. “The fans will react however they want, particularly in the Ashes (which begins on Aug. 1 in Edgbsaton). It is a bit pointless pleading with them not to boo Smith or Warner.” Bairstow, who struck up an unlikely partnership with Warner in the Indian Premier League, said his fellow opener in the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise was an “amazing cricketer” but that it was hypocritical to suggest he cannot be booed. “There is a fine line as well. There was a time not that long ago when the then Australia coach, Darren Lehmann, was telling the Australia crowd to send Stuart Broad home crying,” Bairstow said ahead of England’s crunch World Cup match against Australia.

‘Strange’ for Oz asking fans not to boo Smith, Warner: Bairstow

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