ECB confident England cricket has enough squad depth to maintain one alcohol-related incident per Test

The ECB has reassured England supporters that the squad has more than enough strength in depth to maintain its impressive recent average of at least one alcohol-related incident per Test match.

The reassurance comes after Brydon Carse was dropped for the second Test against Pakistan while the Cricket Regulator investigates an incident that saw the fast bowler briefly handcuffed outside a Derby bar in the early hours of Sunday. Carse was released without charge.

ECB spokesperson Simon Williams said the latest incident demonstrated England’s enviable depth.

“Obviously Ben Stokes has put in some enormous shifts for England over the years, but you can’t expect one player to shoulder that sort of drinking workload forever.

“That’s why it’s so encouraging to see other players stepping up.”

England’s recent record includes Harry Brook being punched by a nightclub bouncer in Wellington, Ben Duckett being filmed inebriated during the infamous mid-Ashes break in Noosa, and Stokes and Gus Atkinson missing a Test this summer while a separate late-night bar incident was investigated.

Williams continued, “Elite sport is all about succession planning. When one experienced player retires, gets suspended or simply wakes up and decides he can’t face another nightclub, you need someone ready to take his place.

“We believe Brydon has shown he can make that step up.”

The latest incident comes shortly after returning captain Joe Root scrapped England’s midnight curfew and backed his players to behave like “grown ups” and good role models.

Williams insisted there were no immediate plans to reinstate it.

“The curfew was introduced, alcohol-related incidents stopped, the curfew was removed and then we immediately had another alcohol-related incident.

“Unfortunately there’s simply no way of knowing if those things are connected.”

He added, “People keep saying England cricket has a drinking problem, but that’s unfair.

“A problem is something you’re trying to get rid of.

“Given how long we’ve been doing this, it’s probably more accurate to call it a tradition.”

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