England’s fast‑bowling attack suffered another setback when Brydon Carse was removed from the squad for the second Test against Pakistan at Lord's. The decision came after a police incident outside a Derby nightclub on the night of August 22, an episode that is now being examined by the Cricket Regulator. Footage that surfaced online shows Carse in handcuffs being escorted by police officers.
The video, taken on a Saturday evening, captures the Durham player being led away after a night out celebrating his county side’s recent County Championship victory over Derbyshire. In the clip, Carse can be seen speaking with teammate Matthew Potts, while former England captain Ben Stokes appears in the background, adding to the media frenzy surrounding the event. The England squad for the match, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10 a.m. (first ball at 11 a.m.) on Thursday, originally listed Joe Root as captain alongside a host of other names: 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 team’s balance has been altered, and Sonny Baker – who earned his Test debut against New Zealand at the Kia Oval in June – has been promoted to fill the seamer’s spot. 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 in question. The statement added that the individual was "de‑arrested" shortly afterwards after agreeing to leave the area, suggesting that the matter may have been resolved without formal charges. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) released its own announcement, noting that the Cricket Regulator would be conducting a full investigation into the Saturday night events.
The board made clear that Carse would not be considered for selection while the probe is ongoing and the complete facts are gathered. The incident arrives at a delicate moment for England cricket. Less than two weeks earlier, new captain Joe Root lifted the midnight curfew that had been imposed after a series of alcohol‑related incidents on the winter tours of New Zealand and Australia. Root’s decision was framed as a call for players to "be adults" and to manage their own behaviour responsibly.
Yet Carse’s situation threatens to reignite the debate about the team’s relationship with alcohol and off‑field discipline. Carse had not featured in the first Test at Headingley, a three‑day rout in which England crushed Pakistan. After the match, he returned to Durham for a county fixture against Derbyshire, where he claimed two wickets and contributed 26 runs with the bat.
Earlier in his career, Carse was England’s leading wicket‑taker during the dominant 4‑1 Ashes series, but injuries have kept him out of the national side for an extended period. The night‑out episode is not an isolated case for England’s senior squad. White‑ball captain Harry Brook was punched by a bouncer before a One‑Day International in New Zealand last autumn. During the Ashes, an unverified video appeared to show Ben Duckett drinking heavily while the team was on a mid‑series break in Noosa, Australia.
Earlier this summer, both Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson missed a Test against New Zealand after breaching the curfew to attend a Chelsea nightclub following a victory at Lord’s. Although they avoided formal sanctions for violent conduct, they each received written warnings for violating specific contractual obligations. Stuart Broad, now a Sky Sports pundit, weighed in on Carse’s withdrawal during his "For the Love of Cricket" podcast. Broad described the incident as "pretty daft" and emphasized that the full details were still unknown, noting that the timing of the event could have been anywhere from ten o’clock in the evening to two in the morning.
He added that the situation was not something the cricketing community wanted to dwell on, expressing a desire to move past the distraction. As the second Test approaches, England must adjust its bowling strategy without Carse’s left‑arm pace.
The team will rely on the remaining fast bowlers—Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, and the newly‑promoted Sonny Baker—to deliver the wickets needed to challenge Pakistan’s batting line‑up. Meanwhile, the Cricket Regulator’s investigation will determine whether Carse faces further disciplinary action or can return to the England set‑up once the facts are clarified. Fans can watch the opening day of the Lord’s Test live on Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Main Event, or via the NOW streaming service.
The match kicks off at 10 a.m. on Thursday, with the first ball scheduled for 11 a.m.
UK time. All broadcasts will be available across the UK and Ireland, ensuring that supporters have multiple avenues to follow the action despite the off‑field drama surrounding one of England’s promising pace prospects.