England bowler Brydon Carse has been dropped from their squad for the second Test against Pakistan as an investigation continues after he was briefly arrested at the weekend.
A clip on social media circulated that showed Carse detained by police officers and in handcuffs on a night out in Derby.
Derbyshire Police have confirmed a man was arrested and subsequently de-arrested.
‘A man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in Derby city centre on Saturday night, 22 August,’ said a police statement.
‘However the man was de-arrested shortly afterwards having agreed to leave the area.’
As a result of the incident, the 31-year-old was omitted from England’s squad on Monday ahead of this week’s second Test, which begins on Thursday, and replaced by Sonny Baker.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has referred the incident to the Cricket Regulator.
The Regulator will investigate and, as a result, Carse has been removed from the squad and replaced by Sonny Baker.
It is the latest in a string of off-field incidents involving the England team – Carse has become the third player this summer to miss a Test because of a disciplinary issue.
ECB statement on Brydon Carse
‘Following a referral from the ECB, the Cricket Regulator have confirmed that they will investigate events on Saturday night in Derby,’ said an ECB statement.
‘Brydon Carse will no longer be available for selection for the second men’s Test while this investigation is ongoing and the full facts are obtained.’
The brief footage of Carse was taken a matter hours after he helped Durham to a Rothesay County Championship win over Derbyshire, with former England captain Ben Stokes and England seamer Matthew Potts also appearing following starring roles in that match. There is no indication either Stokes or Potts did anything untoward.
Carse was England’s top wicket-taker during a dreadful Ashes campaign last winter but has not featured since due to injury concerns.
England’s off-the-field incidents
It is the latest nightlife incident involving an England player within the last 12 months.
Less than a fortnight ago, returning skipper Joe Root revealed he had abolished the controversial midnight curfew, suggesting his players would need to ‘self-police’ and urging them to be ‘really good role models and human beings’.
The curfew originally came into place after a winter that saw several problematic incidents, including Harry Brook being struck by a nightclub bouncer in Wellington the night before captaining an ODI and a boozy mid-Ashes trip to Noosa that spawned an unflattering social media video of an intoxicated Ben Duckett.
Stokes and Gus Atkinson were left out of the second Test of the summer against New Zealand after breaching ‘contractual obligations’ during a celebratory night out following victory at Lord’s.
An investigation concluded Atkinson had been subject to ‘unprovoked attacks’ from a Saracens rugby player and the Cricket Regulator ruled the pair had no case to answer. Stokes returned for one more Test before retiring from England duty.
