Ben Stokes is unlikely to face any formal sanction despite a spiky exchange with Marnus Labuschagne late on day two of the fifth Ashes Test at the SCG, with the incident viewed as largely trivial and well short of the threshold that typically triggers ICC disciplinary action.
The England captain was caught on stump microphones telling Labuschagne to “shut the fuck up” after an over, before walking towards the Australian batter and putting an arm around his shoulder as the words continued. Umpires Ahsan Raza and Chris Gaffaney moved in as the pair lingered mid-pitch, but Stokes then stepped away after appearing to give Labuschagne a brief squeeze.
Under the ICC Code of Conduct, the moment could technically be interpreted under clause 2.12, which covers “inappropriate physical contact.” The expectation, however, is that it will be treated as a non-issue by match referee Jeff Crowe, in keeping with how similar, low-level incidents are routinely handled.
Why a reprimand is unlikely
A reference point can be a recent example involving India seamer Akash Deep placing an arm around England’s Ben Duckett after dismissing him at Edgbaston last August, an interaction that drew little more than a shrug and led to no further action. In Sydney, the umpires’ quick intervention and the absence of any sustained confrontation make it difficult to see the match referee escalating matters beyond an on-field word.
There was also an immediate cricketing punchline. Stokes enjoyed the last word in the next over by dismissing Marnus Labuschagne for 48, finishing the day with figures of two for 30. Australia, though, still closed strongly at 166 for two in reply to England’s 384, driven by Travis Head’s unbeaten 91 in a counter-attacking final session.
The flashpoint arrived in a match already rich with tension. Joe Root’s masterful 160 had given England their best of the series, only for a late wobble, a collapse of five for 61, to leave Australia with a chaseable platform.
Australia all-rounder Michael Neser, meanwhile, suggested Labuschagne’s competitive edge can provoke reactions, noting the batter “can get under your skin.” In that sense, the Stokes moment looked less like a disciplinary issue and more like a pressure valve in a high-stakes Ashes grind.
