BBC commentary legend Jim Maxwell has pop at Bairstow's physique

EXCLUSIVE: Bairstow is overweight! Aussies ramp up Ashes sledging war as BBC commentary legend Maxwell has pop at Jonny’s physique and insists he’s ‘not a wicketkeeper’

• Bairstow was picked as England’s wicketkeeper ahead of Surrey’s Ben Foakes
• He hit 78 with the bat last week but missed several chances behind the stumps
• Maxwell told Mail Sport that England ‘have got to have Foakes back in the team’

Jonny Bairstow has been attacked as ‘overweight’ and ‘not a wicketkeeper’ by Australian commentator Jim Maxwell ahead of Wednesday’s second Test at Lord’s.

Bairstow hit 78 in the first innings of the Ashes opener at Edgbaston but missed several crucial chances behind the stumps as England lost to Australia by two wickets.

The 33-year-old’s performance led to calls for the return of specialist keeper Ben Foakes. The Surrey man was dropped at the start of the summer to allow Bairstow to return after his recovery from a broken leg.

BBC Test Match Special veteran Maxwell, 72, told Mail Sport: ‘The vital thing in that game was the catching. England let themselves down. They keep doing this every now and then. I don’t understand it. They keep picking a bloke who is not a wicketkeeper.

‘I would pick the wicketkeeper first and then pick all the rest of them. You can’t have a bloke who is a bit overweight, been out of nick because of his injury, doing the job of a Foakes.

Australian commentator Jim Maxwell (right) has branded Jonny Bairstow ‘overweight’ ahead of the second Ashes Test

Bairstow (L) has been given the wicketkeeping gloves ahead of Ben Foakes (R) for the start of the series

Despite making 78 with the bat in the first innings, Bairstow struggled behind the stumps, missing several chances

‘They’ve got to get Foakes back in the team because he is their best wicketkeeper and you need a bloke who can turn a half-chance into a wicket. But they are a bit stubborn, the Poms, I’m afraid, and it might cost them at Lord’s if they don’t lift their game collectively.

‘As a confident follower of the Australian side, I’m thinking they can probably improve on that performance and I’m not sure England can.’

Maxwell also criticised England opener Ben Duckett, who scored 12 and 19 in the first Test. ‘Duckett against this bowling as an opening batsman is very fragile,’ he added.

Maxwell also criticised Ben Duckett (pictured), saying ‘he’s not good enough’ to play against Australia

‘He’s not good enough to play against these blokes. He’ll probably come out and get a hundred now!’

Meanwhile, Australia No 3 Marnus Labuschagne had a dig at Joe Root despite the England batter scoring 164 runs at Edgbaston for once out, claiming his uber-attacking style makes him easier to get out.

Root was stumped for the first time in his Test career charging down to Nathan Lyon in the second innings, and Labuschagne said: ‘The way he’s batting is exquisite — when he’s batting normally, he’s batting really well. From my perspective, him playing that method and those shots keeps us in the game.

‘I use that second innings as an example. He probably had an opportunity there to shut us out and take the game away from us completely. But the method and the way he was playing kept us in the game.’

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