England security in airport clashes with Australian media
England’s security staff were involved in altercations with local media in Brisbane and Adelaide on Saturday as the touring party continued to feel the heat ahead of a make-or-break third Ashes Test.The first incident took place at Brisbane airport, with security confronting a Channel 7 camera operator. Footage from the broadcaster shows the security guard pushing away the camera operator as he looks to get up close to the players, who had driven down from Noosa where they had been enjoying a mid-series break. The trip itself had been the subject of derision after England went 2-0 down in the Ashes following their defeat at the Gabba last week.After the group touched down in Adelaide, where the third Test will begin on Wednesday, a local journalist tried a copycat stunt only to be given short shrift by Ben Stokes and managing director Rob Key before security again intervened.
Cricket Australia’s directive to all media during the series is that both teams should be respected when traveling between Tests, including at airports. All CA media briefing documents for the series contain the following: “The Australian and England teams will not be available for interview while in transit between matches during the NRMA Ashes series. All airport, hotel and transit is vision only, to be captured from a respectful distance.”In a statement, Channel 7 said: “While conducting routine filming in a public space, the camera operator was physically confronted despite acting respectfully and professionally. The safety and wellbeing of our staff is paramount. This matter is being taken seriously and is now being managed through the appropriate channels.”While the footage shows Channel 7 had adhered to the CA protocol, the state of the series has ramped up the media focus on England, who must win the next Test to keep the series alive having been beaten twice inside six days of cricket.Unofficially, England have urged their security staff to operate with a light touch, particularly given the number of well-meaning requests they have received for selfies when out and about. They were greeted in Adelaide by “eight to ten camera crews” at the baggage carousel, before a reporter from the attempted to conduct an interview with Stokes as he moved through the terminal.Ever since arriving in Perth at the start of November, England have been subject to plenty of attention from local and national organisations, and reacted in good grace. Having been warned of the intense scrutiny on Ashes tours, a number of players have not batted an eyelid at various intrusions.They indulged filming of their rounds of golf ahead of the first Test, joking that the use of drones made them feel like they were receiving coverage akin to professional golfers. In Brisbane, when skipper Ben Stokes and other team-mates were photographed not wearing helmets while using e-Scooters – a fineable offence in the state of Queensland – Stokes brushed it off, even when asked by a journalist if he and his team would apologise for the misdemeanour. When the transgression was put to Ollie Pope ahead of the second Test, he reacted matter-of-factly: “Just put a helmet on next time. Rules are rules.”Related
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The squad were also confronted by media in Noosa over the last three days, both at the beach and bars of the Sunshine Coast resort town. Stokes even indulged a photo opportunity on the beach during a squad-wide game of football keepy-uppy (otherwise known as PIG), with radio station MixFM employees “Archie and Bretz”, who were wielding placards such as “FOR SALE: MORAL VICTORIES” while dressed in full whites.These incidents, however, are a break from that norm, at a time when England have come under fire for their poor performances.Poor batting displays and a bowling attack losing their way have exacerbated annoyance from England fans at the team’s refusal to accept that their build-up for a series of this magnitude has been less than ideal.They played a single warm-up match against England Lions at Lilac Hills ahead of vastly different conditions at Perth’s Optus Stadium. After choosing not to send their first-string to practice under lights against the Prime Minster’s XI in Canberra, England opted for five training sessions ahead of the day-night Test at the Gabba. After succumbing to a second eight-wicket defeat, head coach Brendon McCullum stated they had “over-prepared”.There is a suggestion that England’s long lead-in to the second Test – which started with a previously unscheduled session at Allan Border Field – was triggered by the criticism of their preparation. This airport incident, however minor, speaks of a crack in their laissez-faire approach at the halfway point of the tour, with a month and three Tests to go, underlining the seriousness of what is at stake in Adelaide and beyond.