England’s pace attack has suffered another setback as 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 now under investigation by the Cricket Regulator.
Footage that surfaced online shows Carse, handcuffed, 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 heard speaking with his teammate Matthew Potts, while former England captain Ben Stokes can be seen in the background. The video quickly spread across social media, prompting the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to act.
The ECB released a brief statement confirming that, after a referral from the board, the Cricket Regulator would look into the events of the night. "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," the statement read. The board added that the matter was being treated seriously, reflecting the heightened scrutiny the England team has faced after a series of off‑field incidents in recent months.
Derbyshire Police issued their own account, saying a man in his thirties was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in the city centre on August 22. The officer later de‑arrested the individual after he agreed to leave the area, suggesting that the situation may have been resolved without further legal action. Nonetheless, the presence of a professional athlete in the incident attracted considerable media attention. Carse’s omission from the squad opens a place for Sonny Baker, the 21‑year‑old who made his Test debut against New Zealand at the Kia Oval in June.
Baker will now join a lineup that includes captain Joe Root, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Harry Brook, Shoaib Bashir, and a host of other England regulars such as Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, and Jamie Smith. The second Test will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10 a.m.
on Thursday, with the first ball scheduled for 11 a.m. The Carse episode arrives just weeks after England captain Joe Root lifted the midnight curfew that had been imposed following a spate of alcohol‑related problems on the winter tours of New Zealand and Australia. The curfew had been introduced as a disciplinary measure after several players were caught breaking team rules, but Root argued that the squad needed more freedom and responsibility, urging his teammates to "be adults". Carse’s own recent form has been mixed.
He was not selected for the opening Test at Headingley, where England recorded a dominant three‑day victory over Pakistan. After being released back to Durham, Carse featured in a county match against Derbyshire, taking two wickets and contributing 26 runs with the bat. Earlier in the summer, he had been England’s leading wicket‑taker during the 4‑1 Ashes whitewash, but a lingering injury has kept him out of the national side for several months. The incident adds to a growing list of off‑field controversies that have plagued England cricket.
White‑ball captain Harry Brook was punched by a bouncer before a One‑Day International in New Zealand last autumn, an episode that sparked debate about player safety and nightlife conduct. During the Ashes, an unverified video appeared to show batsman Ben Duckett appearing intoxicated while the team was on a break in the Australian beach resort of Noosa.
Earlier this summer, both Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson missed the second Test of the home series against New Zealand after breaching the curfew to attend a Chelsea nightclub celebration following a series‑winning victory at Lord’s. While they were cleared of violent conduct, the England board issued written warnings for "breaching specific contractual obligations".
Stokes, who is also a senior figure in the dressing room, has spoken publicly about the need for balance between personal freedom and professional responsibility. The recurrence of these incidents has forced the ECB to re‑examine its policies on player conduct, alcohol consumption, and the role of curfews in maintaining team discipline.
Former England bowler and Sky Sports pundit Stuart Broad weighed in on the Carse situation during his "For the Love of Cricket" podcast. Broad said, "We can’t really make a judgement apart from it being, whatever’s happened, pretty daft.
We’ll wait and see. It could have been 10 p.m., it could have been two a.m., but whatever.
This is not really anything that anybody wants to be talking about any more, to be brutally honest." The broader implications of Carse’s removal are still unfolding. With the second Test looming, England will need to adjust its bowling strategy, potentially relying more heavily on Archer, Atkinson, and the newly‑called‑up Baker.
The incident also raises questions about how the team will manage future nightlife outings, especially as the summer schedule includes a series of high‑profile matches against Pakistan, New Zealand, and an upcoming limited‑overs series. Fans can watch the live action on Sky Sports or stream via NOW, while the ECB continues to monitor the situation and promises a full report once the Cricket Regulator concludes its inquiry. The episode serves as a reminder that, even at the highest level of sport, personal conduct off the field can have a direct impact on team selection and performance on the field.