England’s managing director of men’s cricket, Rob Key, has confirmed he will investigate reports of excessive drinking during the team’s mid-Ashes break in Noosa. Key stated that while he had no problem with the long-planned trip to the Sunshine Coast to help players unwind, he would be concerned by evidence of a "drinking culture" that deviates from professional standards.
“If there are things where people are saying that our players went out and drank excessively, then of course we’ll be looking into that,” Key said ahead of the fourth Test in Melbourne.
Reports from the BBC suggested that some members of the squad spent six days drinking, which ismore than half the total time spent playing Test cricket during the series so far. Key emphasized that drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is not what he expects from an international side. He noted that while headlines can be misleading, he needs to establish facts regarding claims that the break turned into a "glorified stag do."
“I don’t mind players having a glass of wine over dinner. Anything more than that, I think, is ridiculous, really,” he added, clarifying that while he is satisfied with players having the "odd drink" at lunch or dinner, any pattern beyond that would be a significant issue.
This is not the first time drinking habits have been questioned this winter. Key previously issued informal warnings to white-ball captain Harry Brook and Jacob Bethell after they were filmed out in Wellington the night before an ODI against New Zealand on November 1. Key described that incident as a "wake-up call" for the players regarding the scrutiny they face.
For the Noosa trip, he remains cautiously optimistic based on initial reports, saying, “From everything that I’ve heard so far, they actually were pretty well behaved. Very well behaved.” However, he noted that the ECB has added security and enough ways to find out exactly what occurred.
Despite the scrutiny, Key defended the decision to allow a mid-tour holiday, citing a grueling international schedule that sees players like Harry Brook spending only six days at home this entire winter.
He argued that multi-format players need time to "forget about cricket" and live like normal people to escape the intense scrutiny of an Ashes series. “We live in an age as well where it's impossible to avoid cricket,” Key explained, mentioning that players often struggle to ignore social media and the constant pressure of a tour that can last six months.
The investigation adds another layer of pressure as the fourth Test begins in Melbourne on Friday. With the series already lost, both Key and head coach Brendon McCullum have admitted their futures now rest with senior figures at the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Key conceded that Australia has been superior with the ball but maintained that there is "plenty of life" in the current setup despite the "mucked up" big occasions. “The decision really for the ECB will be whether or not they want to rip it up and start again, or whether they want to evolve and whether we’re the right people to do that,” he concluded.