England's Ashes preparations have taken an unexpected turn off the pitch, with several key players risking fines from Australian authorities after being seen riding electric scooters without helmets in Brisbane.
Helmet Law Breach Could Prove Costly
Captain Ben Stokes, along with fast bowler Mark Wood and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, were observed exploring the Queensland capital on rented Lime Scooters. Under Queensland's Road Rules, specifically Section 256A(1), it is a legal requirement to wear an approved bicycle or motorbike helmet when operating an electric scooter. Individuals caught without one face on-the-spot fines of up to $166 Australian dollars, approximately £82.
Interestingly, helmets are often attached to the scooters themselves for rider use. Photographs showed Smith and Wood riding scooters with helmets visibly attached to the front of their vehicles, yet not being worn.
Injury Concerns Mount as Wood Watches On
The incident comes at a sensitive time for the touring side, who are aiming to level the series after losing the first Test in Perth. Their campaign suffered a significant blow with the news that Mark Wood is now expected to miss the crucial day-night second Test at The Gabba, which begins on Thursday.
Wood was seen navigating Brisbane on a sit-down scooter with heavy strapping and a knee brace clearly visible. The 35-year-old Durham paceman missed England's weekend training sessions and was relegated to watching from the sidelines at Monday's Gabba practice. This follows surgery on the same knee in March, which sidelined him for the entire domestic season.
His potential replacement is likely to come from the England Lions squad, with Josh Tongue or Matthew Potts in contention to be drafted in.
Stokes Addresses Criticism and Captaincy Reflection
Meanwhile, Ben Stokes has responded to the wave of criticism directed at the team since their arrival in Australia. Former Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson labelled the side "arrogant" in a newspaper column, a description Stokes contested.
"I think arrogant might be a little bit too far, but that's OK. We'll take the rough with the smooth," Stokes stated. "Call us whatever you want. I'd rather words like 'rubbish', but 'arrogant', I'm not so sure about that."
The England captain also moved to clarify comments made about high-profile pundits, including predecessors Michael Vaughan and Ian Botham, after referring to "has-beens" in a previous media briefing. "Everyone knows it was a slip of the tongue. I've explained that off the record," Stokes said. "Has-beens is a horrible word but it's the only thing that managed to come out of my mouth in that moment."
Reflecting on the first Test defeat, Stokes admitted his own leadership could have been sharper during Travis Head's match-winning century. "I know there were areas in that fourth innings where I could have been a lot better as captain," he conceded, vowing to handle similar high-pressure situations better in the future.
With the team focusing on their pink-ball training under the Gabba lights, England will be hoping their off-field scooter excursion doesn't lead to further unwanted attention or fines, as they concentrate on the formidable task of squaring the Ashes series.
