Last Updated on 19 hours ago by Charbel Coorey
England Cricket has enforced a stronger curfew and alcohol policy in the wake of a string of off-field incidents over the past eight months.
England cricketers are now not allowed to drink alcohol even a day after the match. According to a Telegraph Sport report, this applies even if a Test finishes on day five. In this scenario, players cannot drink until the end of day six.
The policy, signed off by Rob Key, has clearer wording after coach Brendon McCullum admitted there was some ‘abiguity’ in the rules following the nightclub saga involving Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson.
The pair were out after midnight following England’s victory over New Zealand at Lord’s. Atkinson was involved in an altercation with a Saracens rugby player at a Chelsea nightclub. The Regulator cleared the duo of wrongdoing, and both featured in the third Test against the Black Caps.
England Cricket introduce stricter curfew and alcohol rules, signed off by Rob Key
Here are the key points of the policy:
- The midnight curfew is in place.
- Players cannot appear under the influence of alcohol in public, or post on social media about any “alcohol-related material or activities”.
- Players must inform the team management or security if they are out of the hotel after 10pm, including changes of plan.
The policy aims to “protect the players, the reputation both of cricket in England and Wales and the ECB, and to optimise player performance.”
However, the document references a number of “recommendations”, which have the potential to cause confusion should a player consume alcohol even in private. Here are the points from the second section:
- “We recommend that no alcohol be consumed”.
- Players cannot drink at all in public, including public areas of the team hotel, unless “specifically approved by Key or head coach Brendon McCullum”.
- Players are “strongly discouraged” from consuming alcohol in private in this period because “preparation, recovery and professionalism must take priority”.
England seeking to arrest poor run of form in Tests
England are currently on a poor run in Tests, losing seven of their past nine matches. Stokes’s retirement has left them in a tricky position, with the management taking their time to decide on a new captain.
Harry Brook, whose altercation with a Wellington bouncer made headlines following England’s poor Ashes, was overlooked as skipper for the second Test against New Zealand. Michael Vaughan believes he can be a good captain in Tests under a different coach, but the outgoing Stokes threw his support behind one of England’s most talented players.
“If I was asked who I think should do it, I would be throwing my 100 per cent support behind Harry Brook. There’s absolutely no reason why Harry shouldn’t be asked to do that,” Stokes said.
England fans critical of new policy
England fans have criticised the policy, claiming Key has overreacted. The consensus is the rules are too strict, particularly when it comes to having a drink after a win.
“When you’re a weak leader and completely out of your depth, you think overreacting like this looks strong. Really it’s the opposite,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“The last time I heard these kind of rules was in college. Enforcing them on international cricketers who are definitely not teenagers instead of fixing the team culture or firing the coach who had enabled this is baffling,” wrote another.
