England’s pace attack suffered a sudden blow on Thursday when fast bowler Brydon Carse was removed from the squad for the second Test against Pakistan at Lord's. The decision follows a police incident that took place outside a nightclub in Derby on Saturday night, an episode that is now under the scrutiny of the Cricket Regulator. Video evidence that surfaced online shows a handcuffed Carse being escorted by police officers after the Durham side had gone out to celebrate a County Championship victory over Derbyshire. In the clip, Carse can be seen chatting with teammate Matthew Potts, while former England captain Ben Stokes appears in the background, suggesting the group was together at the venue.
The footage quickly made the rounds on social media, prompting an immediate response from both the local authorities and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Derbyshire Police issued a statement confirming that a man in his thirties was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in the city centre on the night of August 22. The statement added that the individual was released – or "de‑arrested" – shortly after, after agreeing to leave the area.
While the police did not name Carse directly, the timing and location align with the footage that emerged. The ECB, in turn, released a brief announcement stating that the Cricket Regulator would be investigating the events that unfolded on Saturday night. The board confirmed that Carse would be unavailable for selection for the second men’s Rothesay Test while the investigation is ongoing and the full facts are gathered.
The move effectively removes him from the playing XI for the match that is being broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event, with the first ball scheduled for 11 a.m. UK time on Thursday. In Carse’s absence, Durham’s young seamer Sonny Baker – who made his Test debut earlier in the season against New Zealand at The Kia Oval – has been called up to fill the vacancy in England’s squad.
Baker’s inclusion marks a rapid promotion, as he has only recently broken into the senior international scene. The Carse episode arrives less than two weeks after England’s new captain, Joe Root, announced the removal of a midnight curfew that had been imposed earlier in the year.
The curfew was originally introduced after a series of alcohol‑related incidents during the winter tours of New Zealand and Australia. Root’s decision was framed as a call for players to act responsibly and "be adults," but the recent controversy suggests that the issue of off‑field discipline remains a delicate one for the side. Carse had not featured in the first Test of the series, a dominant three‑day victory for England at Headingley, and was subsequently released to play for Durham against Derbyshire.
In that county match he claimed two wickets and contributed 26 runs with the bat, showing the form that had once made him England’s leading wicket‑taker in the 4‑1 Ashes white‑wash. However, a lingering injury had kept him out of the national team for several months before this latest setback. The incident adds to a growing list of off‑field incidents that have plagued England cricket in recent years.
White‑ball captain Harry Brook was punched by a bouncer before an ODI in New Zealand last autumn, while during the Ashes a video surfaced that appeared to show Ben Duckett intoxicated during a break in the beach resort of Noosa. Earlier this summer, both Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson missed the second Test of a home series against New Zealand after breaching the curfew to attend a Chelsea nightclub celebration. Although they avoided formal sanctions, they received written warnings for violating specific contractual obligations.
Stuart Broad, now a Sky Sports pundit, weighed in on the Carse situation during his "For the Love of Cricket" podcast. Broad described the incident as "pretty daft" and emphasized that the details were still unclear, noting that the timing of the event could have been anywhere from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
He added that the cricketing community would rather not dwell on such distractions, but acknowledged that the episode would inevitably spark further debate about the team’s relationship with alcohol and nightlife. The second Test itself remains a focal point for fans, with live coverage scheduled on Sky Sports from 10 a.m. on Thursday, and streaming options available via NOW. The match is part of a five‑match series that currently stands at 1‑0 in England’s favour after the emphatic win at Headingley.
With Carse out, England will rely on the remaining pace options – including Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, and the newly added Sonny Baker – to maintain pressure on Pakistan’s batting line‑up. Beyond the immediate impact on team selection, the Carse incident underscores a broader challenge for England cricket: balancing the freedoms of professional athletes with the expectations of conduct set by the board, sponsors, and the public. As the Cricket Regulator conducts its investigation, the outcome could set a precedent for how similar cases are handled in the future, potentially influencing curfew policies, player education programmes, and contractual clauses related to off‑field behaviour. For now, the focus shifts back to the field, where England will look to consolidate their series lead and deliver a performance that distracts from the off‑field controversy.
The upcoming Test promises high‑stakes cricket at the historic Lord's venue, and fans will be watching closely to see how the team adapts to the sudden personnel change and whether the broader issues surrounding player conduct can be resolved without further disruption to England’s campaign.