Reports of off-field drinking antics have further overshadowed England’s Ashes campaign in Australia. Sources revealed that several England players spent up to six days partying between the second and third Tests, including during a four-day break at a Noosa beach resort. A video circulating online shows opener Ben Duckett appearing drunk and struggling to return to the team hotel. Former England captain Michael Vaughan, however, avoided singling out Duckett, instead criticizing the broader “drinking culture” in cricket.
“I’m not going to single out a group of young players who enjoyed a few beers during their days off. I did the same when I represented England, though I at least knew when to call it a night—something Ben Duckett likely needs to learn,” Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph.
Vaughan noted that cricketers in England, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa like drinking.
“Based on what we’ve seen, Duckett shouldn’t be punished, nor should the other players. This is part of a broader issue—cricket itself has fostered a drinking culture. Teams from England, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa all share the same environment,” Vaughan wrote.
“When a team of young cricketers gets three or four days off to relax, incidents like this are bound to occur,” he added.
Vaughan, however, took aim at England’s Ashes preparation. The former England captain, who masterminded the iconic 2005 Ashes win, criticised the decision to schedule the Noosa trip well in advance without arranging any practice matches beforehand.
“What puzzles me is that the Noosa trip was planned a year in advance, but they didn’t arrange for the WACA. There was no preparation for a bouncy pitch ahead of the first Test, but still book a holiday in Noosa?” Vaughan questioned.
“They don’t have a fielding coach on tour and are dropping simple catches. They’ve got a spin coach but aren’t selecting the spinner. The role of data analysis has been minimised. They need to improve their focus.”