The England team heaved a collective sigh of relief after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) gave the players a clean chit in the case of alleged excessive drinking during a team-building trip to Noosa between the second and third Tests of the Ashes tour 2025–26.
Multiple reports had claimed that England players indulged in excessive drinking during the trip, which was organised as a team-building exercise to help them recover from defeat and prepare for the next match.
However, reports now claim that the ECB found no misconduct on the part of the players during the trip.
Although several videos of top-order batter Ben Duckett emerged on social media showing him intoxicated after partying late into the night, the ECB concluded there was “no misconduct” and that no disciplinary action would be taken.
According to a report in The Daily Mail, had the ECB found anything of concern, it would have been identified and addressed immediately rather than after the Ashes loss.
“The procedure of the inquiry was not disclosed to the public, and the verdict was limited to ‘beer drinking’ and no other misconduct,” the report claimed.
As per reports, top ECB official Rob Key said the ‘no misconduct’ verdict was reached because nothing was flagged by the security apparatus accompanying the team in Australia.
“The England cricket team had security personnel assigned for the trip to Noosa, who were authorised to intervene if any misbehaviour or red-flag activity occurred. However, their intervention was not required, and the break was more like a bachelor party,” the report said.
The decision will come as a major relief for the England team as it heads to Sydney for its next and final assignment Down Under — the fifth and final Test of the series, starting on January 4.
England, after slumping to an unassailable 0–3 deficit, salvaged some pride by winning the fourth Test in Melbourne inside two days to avoid a whitewash. Ben Stokes and his men will now look to finish the series on a positive note by narrowing the margin with a win in Sydney.
(IANS)
