England’s pace attack suffered a fresh setback on Thursday when Brydon Carse was removed from the squad for the second Test against Pakistan at Lord’s. The decision followed a police encounter outside a Derby nightclub on Saturday night, an episode now being examined by the Cricket Regulator. Footage that surfaced online shows Carse, handcuffed, being escorted by officers after Durham’s players had gone out to celebrate a County Championship victory over Derbyshire. In the clip Carse can be heard speaking with teammate Matthew Potts while former England captain Ben Stokes appears in the background, underscoring how closely the incident is tied to the national side’s social circle.
The England roster for the match includes captain Joe Root, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith and Josh Tongue. With Carse’s removal, the squad has turned to Sonny Baker – who earned his Test debut against New Zealand at the Kia Oval in June – to fill the seamer’s spot.
The second Test is being broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage beginning at 10 a.m. (first ball at 11 a.m.) on Thursday.
Derbyshire Police released a statement confirming that a man in his thirties was arrested on suspicion of drunken disorder on the night of August 22 in the city centre. The suspect was released shortly after agreeing to leave the area, a detail that aligns with the footage of Carse being led away. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also issued a statement, noting that after a referral from the ECB, the Cricket Regulator would investigate the events in Derby.
The board confirmed that Carse would not be considered for selection while the inquiry is ongoing and the full facts are gathered. This incident comes less than two weeks after new England captain Joe Root scrapped a midnight curfew that had been imposed following a series of alcohol‑related issues on the winter tours of New Zealand and Australia.
The curfew had been introduced as a disciplinary measure after several players were found breaking team rules, but Root decided to lift it in an effort to give senior professionals more personal responsibility. Carse had not featured in the England XI for the dominant three‑day win over Pakistan in the opening Test at Headingley.
After that match he returned to Durham, where he played against Derbyshire, claiming two wickets and contributing 26 runs with the bat. Earlier in the summer, Carse had been England’s leading wicket‑taker in the 4‑1 Ashes victory, but injuries have kept him out of the side since that series. The night‑out episode adds to a growing list of off‑field distractions that England has had to manage.
White‑ball captain Harry Brook was punched by a bouncer the night before a One‑Day International in New Zealand last autumn, a violent episode that sparked a debate about player conduct in foreign venues. During the Ashes, an unverified video appeared to show Ben Duckett appearing intoxicated while the team was on a break in the beach resort of Noosa.
Earlier this summer, both Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson missed a Test in the 2‑1 home series loss to New Zealand after they broke the curfew to attend a Chelsea nightclub following a victory at Lord’s. While they avoided formal sanctions for violent conduct, they each received written warnings for breaching specific contractual obligations. Root’s public call for players to “be adults” when he lifted the curfew now feels premature to some observers, as the Carse incident raises fresh questions about the side’s relationship with alcohol and nightlife.
The episode also highlights the challenges faced by the England management in balancing team discipline with the personal freedoms of senior professionals. Former England bowler and Sky Sports analyst Stuart Broad commented on the matter during his "For the Love of Cricket" podcast, saying, "We can’t really pass judgment yet, apart from noting that whatever happened was pretty daft.
We’ll wait and see. It could have been ten at night or two in the morning, but whatever. This isn’t something anyone wants to keep talking about, to be brutally honest." As the investigation proceeds, England will have to adapt quickly.
The loss of a bowler of Carse’s calibre – who has demonstrated the ability to swing the ball at high pace and take crucial wickets – forces the coaching staff to reconsider their bowling combinations for the remainder of the series. Sonny Baker, still early in his international career, will be given a chance to prove himself against a strong Pakistani batting line‑up. Fans can continue to follow the action live on Sky Sports, with streaming options available through NOW TV for those without a traditional broadcast contract. All matches start at 11 a.m.
UK time, and the second Test promises to be a pivotal contest in a series that has already featured a mix of dominant performances and off‑field drama.