England's Ashes Controversy: Investigation into players' alleged excessive drinking during break

England team drank in Noosa: England's Managing Director Rob Key has claimed he will investigate the behaviour of England players during their break in Noosa amid the Ashes. He described drinking too much alcohol as "completely unacceptable" for an international cricket team.

The England team went to the affluent resort town of Noosa on the Queensland coast after losing the second Test at the Gabba by eight wickets. The team stayed there for four nights and the players drank heavily. This was a break in the middle of the series, not a holiday.

Brendan McCullum, the planner of this trip, said that the trip was very good and the players would be able to play fresh in the third Test. Rob, the team's Managing Director, did not go to Noosa on this trip. He said that his players behaved very well, but reports after the 82-run defeat in Adelaide compared this trip to a bachelor party. Rob said that they will investigate what happened there. Action will be taken thereafter.

‘We will definitely investigate it’

Rob said that if reports emerge that our players went out and drank too much, we will definitely investigate it. Excessive drinking is not something I would expect at any stage for an international cricket team. It would be wrong not to investigate what happened there. However, from what I have heard so far, their behaviour was very good.

‘They are drinking too much’

I have read what has been written in the last day or two, and if it comes down to them drinking too much and it being a bachelor party, then all that sort of thing is absolutely wrong. I don't drink. I don't think drinking culture helps anyone in any way. I have no problem with having a glass of wine at a players' dinner. I think anything more than that is frankly stupid.

‘I have no problem with the Noosa trip’

He further said that I have no problem with the Noosa trip, if it was just to relax and put your phone away, take a break from work, go to the beach. From what I have heard so far, they sat, had lunch, had dinner, did not go out late at night, had the occasional drink. I have no problem with that. If it goes beyond that, then as far as I am concerned, it is a problem. There will be many people who may disagree with that, but we will find out.

Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook were warned

Rob also revealed that Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook were warned by the team management before the series when they were filmed drinking in a bar the night before England's third ODI in New Zealand. He said that this incident was a wake-up call for the investigation into the team in Australia, denying that England had downplayed it.