England’s fast‑bowling prospect Brydon Carse will miss the second Test against Pakistan at Lord's after an incident outside a Derby nightclub prompted an investigation by the Cricket Regulator. The decision, announced on Thursday, removes Carse from the squad for the upcoming match, which begins at 11 a.m. local time and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event.
Video footage that surfaced on social media shows Carse in handcuffs being escorted by police on Saturday night. The clip was taken after Durham’s county side celebrated a victory over Derbyshire in the County Championship.
In the footage Carse can be seen speaking with teammate Matthew Potts, while former England captain Ben Stokes appears in the background. The police later issued a statement confirming that a man in his thirties was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in Derby city centre on the night of August 22. The statement added that the individual was "de‑arrested" shortly afterwards after agreeing to leave the area. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) released its own statement, noting that the Cricket Regulator would be looking into the events that took place in Derby.
The ECB said: "Following a referral from the ECB, the Cricket Regulator have confirmed that they will investigate events on Saturday night in Derby. Brydon Carse will no longer be available for selection for the second men's Rothesay Test match while this investigation is ongoing and the full facts are obtained." Carse’s omission comes at a time when England are already dealing with a series of off‑field controversies involving alcohol and curfew breaches.
Less than two weeks ago, new England captain Joe Root lifted the midnight curfew that had been imposed after a string of drink‑related incidents on the winter tours of New Zealand and Australia. The curfew had been introduced to curb behaviour that was seen as damaging to the team’s reputation, but its removal has reignited debate about how the side should manage nightlife and player conduct. Carse had not been selected for the opening Test at Headingley, where England posted a dominant three‑day victory over Pakistan. After the match he returned to Durham and featured in a county game against Derbyshire, taking two wickets and scoring 26 runs.
Prior to his injury‑related absence, Carse was England’s leading wicket‑taker in the recent 4‑1 Ashes series, highlighting the loss of a potent pace option for the Test side. The incident also adds to a growing list of off‑field episodes that have plagued England cricket in recent months. White‑ball captain Harry Brook was punched by a bouncer in New Zealand before a One‑Day International last autumn.
During the Ashes, an unverified video appeared to show batsman Ben Duckett drinking heavily while the squad was on a break in the Australian beach resort of Noosa. Earlier this summer, both Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson missed the second Test of the home series against New Zealand after breaching the curfew to attend a Chelsea nightclub following a victory at Lord’s. While they avoided formal disciplinary sanctions, they received written warnings for violating specific contractual obligations. Stuart Broad, now a Sky Sports pundit and former England bowler, commented on the Carse situation during his "For the Love of Cricket" podcast.
Broad described the episode as "pretty daft" and said the team would have to wait for the full facts before passing judgment. He noted that the timing of the incident—whether it occurred at 10 p.m. or 2 a.m.—was still unclear, but emphasized that the controversy was not something the team wanted to dwell on. In response to the ongoing issues, Joe Root has repeatedly urged his players to "be adults" and to take personal responsibility for their actions.
The removal of the curfew was meant to signal trust in the squad’s maturity, yet the Carse incident suggests that the balance between freedom and accountability remains delicate. The ECB and the Cricket Regulator will likely use this case to reassess the guidelines surrounding player conduct, especially in relation to alcohol consumption and public behaviour.
Sonny Baker, who made his Test debut against New Zealand at The Kia Oval in June, has been called up to replace Carse in the England squad for the second Test. Baker’s inclusion provides a fresh option for the pace attack, though he will need to quickly adapt to the pressures of a high‑profile match at Lord’s. Fans can watch the second Test live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10 a.m.
(first ball at 11 a.m.) on Thursday. The match will also be streamed via the NOW platform for those without a traditional TV contract.
All games start at 11 a.m. UK and Ireland time, and viewers are encouraged to use a Chrome browser for optimal video playback. The Carse episode underscores the broader challenge England faces in managing player behaviour off the field while maintaining competitive performance on it. As the investigation proceeds, the cricketing community will be watching closely to see how the governing bodies balance disciplinary action with the need to support young talent in a high‑pressure environment.