The last thing the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) needed was video emerging of Brydon Carse being led away from a Derby pub in handcuffs by police barely 24 hours after a restorative Test victory against Pakistan at Headingley.
Carse was released from England’s squad for the match in Leeds to play for Durham in their County Championship fixture at Derbyshire. After the visitors won, they went out celebrating.
But after months of off-field controversy involving England players and alcohol, the ECB must be tearing their hair out at this latest incident.
First, there was Harry Brook being punched by a Wellington bouncer the night before an ODI against New Zealand.
That was covered up by the ECB until it was leaked to the media at the end of a boozy Ashes tour that saw England’s players criticised for an alcohol-fuelled mini-break to the Queensland resort of Noosa after defeat in the second Test at Brisbane had put them 2-0 down in the series. Video emerged too of opener Ben Duckett on that trip seemingly drunk, lost and being ridiculed by England fans.
