England’s cricket authorities have confirmed they will investigate reports of excessive drinking by players during a scheduled break in the ongoing Ashes series against Australia, following widespread media coverage of the team’s stay in the Queensland beach town of Noosa.
The England squad spent four nights on the Sunshine Coast between the second and third Tests of the Ashes, a break that had been planned well in advance of the tour. However, reports from multiple outlets, including the BBC, claimed that some players were drinking heavily for extended periods during the Noosa stay, as well as during the preceding two days in Brisbane, where the second Test was played.
Rob Key: “Unacceptable if True”
England’s director of cricket, Rob Key, addressed the issue in an interview with BBC Sport, stressing that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) would seek to establish the facts behind the claims.
“Headlines can be misleading at times, saying it’s a stag do and stuff like that,” Key said.
“Stories of players drinking six days solid – that’s unacceptable. We’ll be looking into seeing what the facts are as opposed to the things that have been embellished or elaborated on.”
Although England showed signs of improvement in the third Test in Adelaide, they were still beaten by Australia, allowing the hosts to take an unassailable 3–0 lead in just 11 days of cricket. As a result, England can no longer reclaim the Ashes in this series.
Planned Break Under Media Scrutiny
The Noosa break went ahead despite England trailing 2–0 in the series. All squad members were present, though Rob Key himself was elsewhere in Queensland at the time.
Players had been warned to expect intense media attention, and images soon emerged showing some squad members drinking at outdoor tables along Noosa’s main street. Photographs and video footage circulated widely on social media and television.
“When you see a picture of five or six guys sitting down for lunch, a couple of them having drinks, you need to see what’s actually going on with that,” Key said.
“If it’s true that it became a stag do and people are out drinking all the time excessively, that’s not acceptable. I don’t agree with a drinking culture. I don’t like a drinking culture.”
Previous Incident Involving Brook and Bethell
Key also revealed that he had previously reviewed reports involving England white-ball captain Harry Brook and batter Jacob Bethell, who were filmed drinking the night before a match during England’s limited-overs tour of New Zealand earlier this year.
A video clip, reportedly recorded in Wellington on the eve of the third one-day international on 1 November, was shared online and prompted internal discussions.
“I didn’t feel like that was worthy of formal warnings, but it was probably worthy of informal ones,” Key explained.
“There wasn’t any formal action. We’ve had four years where we’ve had none of these issues really with any of the players.”
Key emphasized that England has a clear internal process for dealing with disciplinary issues if players cross acceptable boundaries.
“I don’t mind players having a glass of wine over dinner. Anything more than that, I think is ridiculous,” he said.
Defending the Right to Rest
Despite the controversy, Key strongly defended the decision to give players time away from cricket, citing the relentless international schedule faced by modern professionals.
Several players, including Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Ben Duckett and Jofra Archer, could be away from home for nearly six months, covering tours of New Zealand and Australia, followed by the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
“Harry Brook is only going to be at home for six days this entire winter,” Key said.
“We have to create a time where these players can get away from cricket because they’re not going to do it by being at home.”
Key also highlighted the mental toll of constant scrutiny, particularly during an Ashes series.
“You can’t escape cricket, especially on an Ashes series and the scrutiny,” he added.
“Getting away and being able to forget about that and live like a normal person is really important.”
ECB Faces Balancing Act
The situation places the ECB in a difficult position as it seeks to balance player welfare, professional standards, and public expectations during one of the most high-profile series in world cricket.
While the investigation will aim to establish whether the reports were exaggerated, Key made clear that excessive drinking would not be tolerated if the claims are substantiated.
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