 "England to investigate cricketers 'drinking six days' in Noosa during Ashes claim: 'I don't like a drinking culture'")
The Ashes series defeat in 11 days with two matches still to go has rocked England cricket as the ECB is set to hold a full review at the end of the Australian tour. England coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes’ roles are under scrutiny, but also under scanner are the media reports that the England players were drinking excessively during a break in the beach town of Noosa.
The news was broken by several Australian media houses that some of the England players were boozing during the major part of their holiday in Noosa and also on two previous days in Brisbane where the second Test was played.
ECB to investigate England players drinking claim
England director of cricket Rob Key has now confirmed that an investigation will be launched and admitted that “drinking six days” is “unacceptable.”
“Headlines can be misleading at times, saying it’s a stag do and stuff like that,” Key said. “Stories of players drinking six days solid - that’s unacceptable. We’ll be looking into seeing what the facts are as opposed to the things that have been embellished or elaborated on.”
The holiday plan in Noosa was scheduled even before the series began, but England were already 2-0 down when the break began. Despite the poor results, England team decided to go to Noosa for holiday.
The whole England contingent was in Noosa, but not Key, who was in Queensland.
Some of the pictures from the holiday taken by local media showed a few England players drinking outside a bar.
I was in Noosa and saw for myself the England team getting trollied especially Harry Brook
— tim crowley (@Timmo_Crowley) December 21, 2025
Stokes didnt but the others were in the public eye drinking in Miss Moneypennys on Hastings street https://t.co/gGqZG97mRY pic.twitter.com/OwMfAWPvHH
Quick Reads
View All“When you see a picture of five or six guys sitting down for lunch, a couple of them having drinks, you need to see what’s going on with that,” said Key.
“If it’s true that it became a stag do and people are out drinking all the time excessively, that’s not acceptable. I don’t agree with a drinking culture. I don’t like a drinking culture.”
Key also said he had earlier examined reports claiming that white-ball captain Harry Brook and batter Jacob Bethell went out drinking on the eve of a match during England’s limited-overs tour of New Zealand ahead of the Ashes.
A video clip of Brook and Bethell, shared on social media and reportedly filmed in Wellington, showed the pair the night before the third one-day international on 1 November.
“That was a bit of a wake-up call for what they’re going into. I don’t mind players having a glass of wine over dinner. Anything more than that, I think is ridiculous.”
“I didn’t feel like that was worthy of formal warnings, but it was probably worthy of informal ones,” said Key.
“There wasn’t any formal action. We’ve had four years where we’ve had none of these issues really, with any of the players, and there’s a whole process that we put in place for stuff like that - for what you do if they’re out of line.
 "From Kolkata to Delhi, how Hindu man’s lynching in Bangladesh has fired up Indians")
 "‘Bangladesh’s Yunus govt failed to control ‘mobocracy’’: BNP leader on attack on Indian mission")
 "Tarique Rahman to return to Bangladesh after 17 years: Can Khaleda Zia’s son influence February elections?")
 "US Congressmen raise alarm over anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh")
 "From Kolkata to Delhi, how Hindu man’s lynching in Bangladesh has fired up Indians")
 "‘Bangladesh’s Yunus govt failed to control ‘mobocracy’’: BNP leader on attack on Indian mission")
 "Tarique Rahman to return to Bangladesh after 17 years: Can Khaleda Zia’s son influence February elections?")
 "US Congressmen raise alarm over anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh")
