"They don't need to have beer with anyone else" - Brad Haddin slams coach Brendon McCullum for his 'beer' comment post England's Lord's defeat

Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has taken a dig at England coach Brendon McCullum for his comments after their loss to Australia in the Lord's Test on Sunday. McCullum was asked about the whole 'Spirit of Cricket' debate after Australia didn't withdraw their appeal for Jonny Bairstow's dismissal.

The former New Zealand captain said that it would be difficult for the two teams 'to have a beer together' after the way things panned out. However, Haddin was having none of it and slammed McCullum for his comments.

Speaking on the Willow Talk Podcast, here's what Brad Haddin had to say about Brendon McCullum:

"The coach is coming and saying that they won't have beers with the Aussies. Mate, they're 2-0 up. They will be enjoying their own company. They don't need to have beer with anyone else.

"Brendon McCullum himself did it to Murali in a Test match when he just tapped his crease and went to Sangakkara, his partner, to congratulate him on a hundred. He did a similar thing."

Haddin further added:

"Sounds like a bit of sour grapes from England. They're throwing a lot of stuff at the Australians on and off the field in the media and Australia have just trusted their game style.

"They've won big moments. In the end, they stayed rock solid and won the Test match."

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Jonny Bairstow had a brain fade: Brad Haddin

Brad Haddin opined that Jonny Bairstow was himself responsible for his largely debated mode of dismissal on Day 5. He questioned the England wicketkeeper for wandering out of his crease and praised Australian keeper Alex Carey for showing great presence of mind.

On this, Haddin stated:

"Bairstow has had a brain fade, as simple as that. He wasn't concentrating. Carey picked it up a couple of balls ago that he was wandering outside his crease and as soon as he got the ball he threw and was lucky to hit the stumps and run Bairstow out. In the letter of the law he is out."

Brad Haddin compared the incident with Mitchell Starc's catch to dismiss Ben Duckett, a decision that was overturned. He said:

"Starc was in control of the ball but wasn't in control of his movements when he completed the catch. So if you're going to play the letter of the law for that one, England, and be happy, this one from Bairstow was just a concentration lapse that Carey was smart enough to jump on."

Bairstow's dismissal and England's loss have added more life and spice to the Ashes 2023 with the next Test to be played at Headingley, Leeds.