The England and Wales Cricket Board has opened an inquiry into footage that has gone viral on social media, in which it is claimed that England batter Ben Duckett can be seen to be drunk while the team had a short break in Australia.
Video Emerged After Break-In At Noosa
The video, posted on X, formerly Twitter, appears to show Ben Duckett having problems locating his way back to the England team hotel during a scheduled break in the region of Noosa. This mini break came during the second and third tests, having suffered an eight-wicket loss at Brisbane and conceding the series 2-0.
The footage went viral on Tuesday, mere hours after the England men’s managing director, Rob Key, announced that the ECB would be looking into the actions of the team during their time on the Sunshine Coast.
ECB clears Noosa visit purpose
The ECB states that the four-day visit to Noosa was not a holiday but an already-planned rest break, which was scheduled nearly a year in advance by the head coach Brendon McCullum. The reason for the tour was to give the players a mental break in the midst of the Ashes calendar. There were no official training sessions planned for this duration, and the players used the opportunity to unwind.
Despite the controversy, the English side had their best match of the series in the third test at Adelaide, but were still left on the receiving end of an 82-run deficit. This meant that the Australians gained an unbeatable lead in the series, which enabled them to retain the Ashes after only 11 days.
Rob Key Reacts Ahead Of Melbourne Test
Speaking at the Melbourne Cricket Ground before the fourth Test, Rob Key said that the matter would be investigated but added that he thought the players had acted responsibly.
ECB Makes Official Statement
In an official statement, the ECB confirmed the existence of the circulating content and reiterated their position regarding player behavior:
It is reported, “We are aware of content circulating on social media.”
“We have very high standards of behavior, recognizing that the players are subject to intense levels of scrutiny, as there are processes that we follow when behavior is not meeting those standards. We also have players whom we are assisting.”
“We do not intend to make any comment at this point while we are establishing facts.”
Ben Duckett’s Experiences during the Ashes Series
Ben Duckett, the England batsman, is finding his maiden Ashes series rather tough. He is one of England’s more reliable batsmen in the recent past. Yet, he has scored only 97 runs so far, his average approximately 16.16. His best score is only 29. He is England’s lowest-scoring and lowest-average specialist batsman.
Previous Disciplinary Disputes Surface This is not the first time Ben Duckett has been under the spotlight for disciplinary issues while touring for the Ashes. When he toured for the 2017-18 Ashes as part of the English Lions squad, he was sent back home after he had an incident with Jimmy Anderson at a bar in Perth.
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