Former wicketkeeper Matt Prior says there is "deep-rooted issue that is synonymous with cricket tours" after England said they will investigate reports of drinking during the Ashes tour. The England squad spent four nights on the Queensland coast between the second and third Tests. England director of cricket Rob Key said they will investigate, adding that "drinking six days solid is unacceptable" but "headlines can be misleading".
Former wicketkeeper Matt Prior says there is "deep-rooted issue that is synonymous with cricket tours" after England said they will investigate reports of drinking during the Ashes tour.
There were reports of players drinking excessively during a break from the Ashes series in the beach town of Noosa.
The England squad spent four nights on the Queensland coast between the second and third Tests.
Several media outlets, including the BBC, reported that some players were drinking for a significant portion of their time in Noosa, as well as on two previous days in Brisbane, the venue for the second Test.
England director of cricket Rob Key said they will investigate, adding that "drinking six days solid is unacceptable" but "headlines can be misleading".
Later on Tuesday, the England and Wales Cricket Board [ECB} said they were aware of a video of opener Ben Duckett circulating on social media.
In the video, Duckett is asked if he knows how to get home. He says "no" and later swears at a member of the public.
The ECB said it is "establishing the facts" around the video, and that it has "high expectations" around player behaviour.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Prior said: "This doesn't shock me - whenever England lose in Australia there is a drinking culture and all of these things come out.
"If it was a stag do - as has been used - that is a headline and of course there are a lot of England fans that are angry and rightly so, this will grab a huge amount of attention.
"If it is the case [players acting like they were on a stag do] then that isn't right and England have got another thing on this tour. It is a tour full of mistakes so far.
"One thing I would suggest is that England tours, partiulclary in Australia, are incredibly pressurised and when you're up and against it there is no escape. With social media these days there is nowhere to go.
"This is the not first time - there is a more deep-rooted issue that is synonymous with cricket tours and being away for a long time and press being on their back. What are you meant to do? Just sit in your hotel room for 24 hours a day and get more depressed? It is a real challenge when you're on a tour like this."
Category: General Sports
