England is 1-3 in the five-Test Ashes 2025-26 series against Australia.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has reportedly conducted a private investigation into reports that several England cricketers, including Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, and Harry Brook, amongst others, indulged in overdrinking during their break in Queensland’s Noosa during the ongoing Ashes 2025-26.
The four-day break on Queensland's Sunshine Coast was described in UK reports as looking like a "stag-do," with viral videos raising concerns about professionalism, timing, and optics—especially with England chasing form, confidence, and cohesion in harsh Australian conditions.
A video of batter Ben Duckett that seemed to show him slurring and extremely drunk while conversing with a fan was at the center of the controversy. Wider conjecture that the mid-series escape had gone beyond recovery into excess was stoked by the clip.
According to the Daily Mail, the ECB's internal investigation found no evidence to warrant action, with the conclusion that there was no misbehavior more serious than alcohol drinking during a well-planned quiet break period.
Senior officials also relied on a practical reality: in the age of ubiquitous phone cameras, any truly damaging occurrence would almost definitely have been reported immediately and extensively.
England's managing director, Rob Key, has already stated that the board will not be "naïve" about the issue, emphasizing that while a reset is beneficial, any "excessive" behavior is unacceptable.
The ECB's cautious public stance during the review mirrored concerns that another viral video may emerge, exacerbating the issue.
England lost the Ashes urn to Australia after losing the first three Tests of the series in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide. However, the visitors managed to win the fourth Test in Melbourne inside two days, registering their first Test win down under since 2010.