Cricket legend Merv Hughes and outspoken broadcaster Piers Morgan lock horns in social media showdown

Cricketing legend Merv Hughes and controversial broadcaster Piers Morgan have set social media ablaze with a heated feud that has captured the attention of fans worldwide.

Morgan and Hughes have engaged in a spirited exchange of words on social media following the contentious dismissal of Jonny Bairstow during the fifth day of the second Test at Lord’s.

The ex-cricketer declined the opportunity to participate in the Piers Morgan Uncensored program, and his anger grew when Morgan publicly disclosed his rejection on social media.

“Life’s pretty good when you jump on social media and you see some moron like Pies Morgan having a crack at you,’ Hughes said on SENQ’s Breakfast with Pat and Heals recently.

“A producer of his show asked me privately if I wanted to go on his show and I declined respectively and said ‘no I don’t want to’ and then he puts it to social media.

“Like I said, he’s an attention-seeker and a flog.”

The disagreement began when Hughes expressed his backing for the Australian cricket team on Twitter, asserting that Carey and the Aussie captain, Pat Cummins, had no need to apologise.

His comments prompted Morgan to invite him on his show.

“Want to come on my show and debate this tonight, Merv?,” Morgan tweeted.

Hughes was quick to decline the invitation, taking to Twitter to accuse Morgan of having “no respect”.

Been asked and answered privately piers- why would you take it to social media#norespect#attentionsreker#flog https://t.co/XA8L8EiXPh

— Merv Hughes (@MervHughes332) July 4, 2023

While tension seemingly continues to rise between Hughes and Morgan, tempers certainly flared on the final day of the Ashes match between England and Australia due to a controversial dismissal of Bairstow. 

During the play, Bairstow ducked under a short-pitched delivery from Cameron Green. He then walked towards the middle of the pitch to have a conversation with England’s captain, Ben Stokes, who was at the non-striker’s end.

Seizing an opportunity, Alex Carey, the Australian wicketkeeper, threw the ball and hit the stumps, leaving Bairstow surprised when the third umpire ruled him out.

The Australian team’s decision to pursue the appeal instead of withdrawing it angered both the players and the crowd.

As per the Laws of Cricket, once the fielding team and the batsmen no longer consider the ball in play, it is considered dead. In this particular scenario, since Carey threw the ball after retrieving it, the umpires made the correct decision.

Interestingly, Bairstow himself had attempted a similar stumping opportunity earlier in the match, when he threw the ball at the stumps while Marnus Labuschagne was batting on the third day.

Despite the rightful nature of Carey’s dismissal and Australia’s subsequent 43-run victory in the second Ashes Test, the team is currently enduring constant taunting and criticism from English cricket enthusiasts.