Cricket hero Bairstow calls for football sin bin for players surrounding referee

10 January 2023 , 11:25

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England cricket star Jonny Bairstow (Image: GEOFF CADDICK/AFP via Getty Images)

England cricket star Jonny Bairstow has questioned whether there should be a rugby or hockey style sin bin in football "for the players who run at and storm the referee to question their decision".

In a post on Twitter, Bairstow wrote: "Could there be a 5/10 minute suspension in football for the players who run at and storm the referee to question their decision? Pretty sure they wouldn't do it if there was 5/10 minutes to sit down… just a thought."

Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett was among those to respond to Bairstow's tweet, revealing it was an idea he has previously suggested. He wrote: "Johnny I have suggested a 15minute visit to the Sin Bin".

And fans were largely in agreement with Bairstow, with one saying: "It exists in grassroots football, 10 mins for dissent. [Pretty] sure they don't want in EPL as some clubs would have 2-3 players off at once."

"A sin bin sounds good to me," added another. While a third wrote: "Have always thought a sin bin would be gd in football. And only the captain should be allowed to talk to the ref!"

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Bairstow is currently recovering from a freak injury, having broken his leg in three places and dislocated his ankle after slipping over while playing golf. Describing the freak injury, he told the Telegraph : "Normally when you slip you fall on your bum, which would have been fine as there's plenty of cushion in there.

"Except this time I tried to regain my balance, my left ankle turned right, dislocated and my weight went through my left lower leg. I heard it snap straight away. I took a couple of steps down then slipped.

"By the time I crumpled into a heap, I was three-quarters of the way down. It's all a blur, it happened so quickly. I yelped. Uncontrollable screams, the sort you hear on a rugby field."

The 33-year-old has been out of action since August and is likely to return to action in late March for Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, where he will be teammates with fellow England stars Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran.

Matthew Cooper