England’s pace attack suffered a setback when Brydon Carse was removed from the squad for the second Test against Pakistan at Lord's, following a disturbance outside a Derby nightclub that is now under investigation by the Cricket Regulator. The decision, announced on Thursday, means Carse will not be available for selection while the authorities gather the full facts.
The incident came to light after video footage emerged showing a handcuffed Carse being escorted by police on Saturday night. The clip, which quickly spread on social media, captured the fast bowler being led away after Durham’s players had gone out to celebrate a County Championship victory over Derbyshire. In the footage Carse can be heard speaking with teammate Matthew Potts, while former England captain Ben Stokes can be seen in the background, adding to the media frenzy. The Derbyshire Police released 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 "de‑arrested" shortly afterwards after agreeing to leave the area, suggesting that the situation was resolved without further legal action. Nonetheless, the image of a handcuffed England player sparked a wave of criticism and concern among fans and officials alike. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also issued a formal response.
In its statement, the board said that, following a referral from the ECB, the Cricket Regulator would investigate the events that took place on Saturday night in Derby. The ECB confirmed that Carse would be unavailable for the second men's Rothesay Test while the investigation is ongoing and the full facts are obtained.
The second Test, which is being broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event, is scheduled to start at 10 am on Thursday, with the first ball bowled at 11 am. The England squad 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 absence, the team has turned to Sonny Baker – who made his Test debut against New Zealand at The Kia Oval in June – to fill the seam‑bowling role.
Carse’s omission comes less than two weeks after England captain Joe Root announced the removal of a midnight curfew that had been imposed following a series of alcohol‑related incidents on the winter tours of New Zealand and Australia. The curfew had been introduced after several players were caught breaking team rules, and its removal was intended to give the squad more personal freedom while still expecting professional conduct. The fast bowler 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 for a County Championship game against Derbyshire, where he claimed two wickets and added 26 runs with the bat. Carse was England’s leading wicket‑taker in the recent 4‑1 Ashes defeat, but injuries have kept him out of the side for a considerable period. The nightclub episode adds to a growing list of off‑field controversies that have plagued England cricket in recent years. White‑ball captain Harry Brook was punched by a bouncer the night before a One‑Day International in New Zealand last autumn, an incident that attracted considerable media attention.
During the Ashes, an unverified video appeared to show batsman Ben Duckett appearing intoxicated while the team was on a mid‑series break at the beach resort of Noosa. Earlier this summer, both Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson missed the second Test of the 2‑1 home series loss to New Zealand after breaching the curfew to attend a Chelsea nightclub following a victory at Lord’s. Although they were cleared of violent conduct, both players received written warnings for "breaching specific contractual obligations". Root’s call for his players to "be adults" when he lifted the curfew now faces renewed scrutiny as Carse’s situation raises fresh questions about the squad’s relationship with alcohol and nightlife.
Former England bowler and Sky Sports pundit Stuart Broad, speaking on the "For the Love of Cricket" podcast before Carse’s withdrawal was confirmed, described the incident as "pretty daft" and said, "We’ll wait and see. It could have been 10 pm, it could have been 2 am, but whatever. This is not really anything that anybody wants to be talking about any more, to be brutally honest." The ECB’s handling of the matter underscores the delicate balance between player welfare, personal freedom, and the professional standards expected of an international side. While the investigation proceeds, England will have to rely on the depth of its bowling resources and hope that the controversy does not distract from the on‑field challenge of facing a strong Pakistani attack at Lord’s.
For supporters wishing to follow the action, the second Test will be streamed live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event, with additional coverage available via the NOW platform. All matches start at 11 am UK time, and viewers are advised to use a Chrome browser for the best video player experience.