Rob Key, England’s managing director, will investigate reports of excessive drinking by players during a mid-Ashes break in Noosa. Key called such behaviour ‘unacceptable’ for an international cricket side after the trip was compared to a ‘stag do’.
Rob Key has said that he will look into England players’ behaviour during their mid-Ashes break in Noosa and made it clear that excessive drinking is completely unacceptable for an international cricket side, as per ESPNcricinfo. England headed to Noosa, a well-known coastal resort in Queensland, following their eight-wicket loss in the second Test at the Gabba. The team stayed there for four nights, insisting it was a mid-series break and not a holiday. Head coach Brendon McCullum, who planned the trip, had earlier described it as a positive move that would help the players feel refreshed ahead of the third Test.
Key, England’s managing director, did not accompany the team to Noosa and initially believed that the players had conducted themselves properly. However, after England went on to lose the Adelaide Test by 82 runs, reports emerged comparing the trip to a stag do. Speaking at the MCG on Tuesday, Key said he would examine what actually took place during the break and decide if any action was needed.
Key Clarifies Stance on ‘Unacceptable’ Drinking Culture
“If there’s things where people are saying that our players went out and drank excessively then of course we’ll be looking into that,” Key said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo. “Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol for an international cricket team is not something that I’d expect to see at any stage, and it would be a fault not to look into what happened there. But from everything that I’ve heard so far, they were very well behaved,” he noted.
“I’ve read what’s been written in the last day or so, and if it goes into where they’re drinking lots and it’s a stag do, all that type of stuff, that’s completely unacceptable. I’m not a drinker. I think a drinking culture doesn’t help anyone in any stretch whatsoever,” he added.
“I have no issue with the Noosa trip if it was to get away and just throw your phone away, down tools, go on the beach… Everything that I’ve heard so far is that they sat down, had lunch, had dinner, didn’t go out late, had the odd drink. I don’t mind that. If it goes past that, then that’s an issue as far as I’m concerned… There’s lots of people there that might disagree with that, but that’s what we’ll find out,” he said.
Previous Warnings Over Player Conduct
He also disclosed that Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook had been cautioned by team management before the Ashes series. The warning followed an incident in which the duo were filmed drinking at a bar on the eve of England’s third ODI in New Zealand.
“I don’t mind players having a glass of wine over dinner. Anything more than that I think is ridiculous, really,” Key said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo. “There wasn’t any formal action… I didn’t feel like that was worthy of formal warnings, but it was probably worthy of informal ones,” he noted. (ANI)
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