England's cricket squad will be placed under a strict midnight curfew for the remainder of their winter commitments, following a string of disciplinary breaches during the recent tours of Australia and New Zealand.
Curfew Reinstated After Series of Incidents
The decision, which marks a significant shift in team management policy, comes after several alcohol-related incidents marred the team's performances. England suffered a 3-0 one-day series whitewash against New Zealand and a heavy 4-1 defeat in the Ashes Test matches in Australia over a seven-week period.
Although no formal written code of conduct will be issued for the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka and the T20 World Cup, players will be verbally reminded of their responsibilities as international sportsmen upon arrival in Colombo. The key rule is that all players must be back at the team hotel by midnight each night, unless prior permission is granted.
Drinking Incidents That Forced the Change
A series of embarrassing episodes prompted the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to act. During a mid-Ashes break in Noosa, footage circulated online showing batsman Ben Duckett in a visibly inebriated state late at night. Witnesses compared the team's behaviour to a stag party.
Further reports emerged of high alcohol consumption by players during their stay at a casino complex hotel in Perth. The most serious incident involved Harry Brook, who was fined the maximum £30,000 after an altercation with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington, just hours before England's third ODI defeat to New Zealand. Brook also came close to losing the white-ball captaincy over the matter.
A Return to Past Discipline
The move represents a reversal of the relaxed approach instigated by Test captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum four years ago. They had scrapped the previous curfew, believing senior players should be trusted to manage their own time.
That policy is now seen to have backfired during the Australasian tours. The previous curfew was originally introduced by then managing director Andrew Strauss after an incident involving Jonny Bairstow and Australia's Cameron Bancroft ahead of the 2017-18 Ashes.
While keen to avoid a return to the restrictive 'siege mentality' of the Covid-era bubbles, the ECB hierarchy, led by managing director Rob Key, has decided firm boundaries are necessary. The team now aims to put a wretched run of results behind them by targeting an unlikely fourth global T20 title in March.
