England's preparations for the second Test against Pakistan at Lord's have been disrupted by off-field controversy once again, with pace bowler Brydon Carse removed from the squad amid an ongoing investigation by the independent Cricket Regulator.
The action follows footage circulating on social media on Sunday showing Carse, 31, in handcuffs outside a bar in Derby on Saturday night. Carse had been released to play for Durham in their County Championship Division Two fixture away at Derbyshire—a match the Division Two leaders won on Saturday evening—after he was left out of the starting XI for the first Test against Pakistan at Headingley, which England won by an innings inside three days.
Derbyshire Police confirmed the sequence of events in an official statement:
A man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in Derby city centre on Saturday night, 22 August. However the man was de-arrested shortly afterwards having agreed to leave the area.Derbyshire Police
Friends of the fast bowler insisted he had done little wrong while celebrating Durham's victory, and he was released without formal charge. However, because Carse holds an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) central contract, the governing body acted swiftly. The ECB referred the incident directly to the independent Cricket Regulator, rendering Carse unavailable for selection while the facts are established.
The timing compounds a turbulent summer for English cricket regarding player conduct. Carse is now the third England player this summer to miss a Test match due to disciplinary issues. In June, Test captain Ben Stokes and seamer Gus Atkinson were investigated and subsequently given written warnings after visiting a London nightclub following the first Test victory over New Zealand at Lord's, breaching a midnight team curfew.
That curfew was originally introduced in response to a series of late-night incidents during winter tours, which included Harry Brook being punched by a bouncer outside a Wellington nightclub—an event that resulted in a £30,000 fine and a groolingly public apology—alongside Ben Duckett being filmed appearing drunk during an Ashes holiday in Noosa. Upon succeeding Stokes as captain for a second spell, Joe Root initially relaxed team protocols and alcohol guidelines, urging players to act as good human beings and role models.
Footage from Derby also captured Durham team-mate Matthew Potts, while former England captain Ben Stokes could be seen in the background. Though Stokes has retired from international cricket, he remains centrally contracted by the ECB.
For Carse, the omission halts a career trajectory that has seen him become a regular across formats since making his Test debut in October 2024, claiming 58 wickets—the most of any England bowler in that span. He also previously served a three-month ban in the summer of 2024 for historical betting offences before fighting back into the international fold.
Given that Carse was unlikely to crack England's frontline four-seamer attack at Lord's, his absence opens the door for Hampshire fast bowler Sonny Baker. The 23-year-old, who won his sole Test cap against New Zealand in June, has been called up to replace Carse in the 16-man squad.
The Cricket Regulator holds several potential courses of action depending on its findings, ranging from taking no further action or issuing a formal caution, to bringing charges for breaching regulations, including bringing the game into disrepute.
Sources
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- bbc.co.uk original
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