The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has concluded its investigation into reports of excessive drinking by the England cricket team during their Ashes tour, finding no evidence of serious misconduct and deciding that no formal action will be taken against the players. However, according to an exclusive report by the Daily Mail, there is an “acceptance among some members of the management that aspects of this Ashes tour have been too loose.”

ECB finds “nothing more damning than beer drinking”

The investigation centered on England’s four-night stay at the Noosa beach resort in Queensland, Australia, between the second Test (which ended on December 7) and the third Test (which began on December 17). Several reports emerged claiming that England players indulged in heavy drinking sessions, and a video of players in an allegedly inebriated state went viral on social media.

However, the ECB’s investigation found no serious misconduct beyond beer drinking during the break.

“The investigation turned up nothing more damaging than beer drinking, confirming the suspicion among the England hierarchy that anything serious would have been reported immediately, not delayed until after the Ashes had been lost,” the Daily Mail report stated.

Rob Key: Security flagged no red-flag activities

Top ECB official Rob Key reportedly explained that the reason for the “no misconduct” verdict was that nothing concerning was flagged by the security personnel assigned to the team during the Noosa trip.

“The England cricket team had security personnel assigned for the trip to Noosa, who were also authorized to intervene if any misbehavior or red-flag activities appeared. However, they weren’t needed to step in, and the break was more like a bachelorette party,” the report said.

The security team’s role was to monitor the players and intervene if necessary, but no intervention was required during the four-day break.

Management admits “asking for trouble” by sending squad to Noosa

Despite clearing the players of serious misconduct, the report suggests that some within the England management believe the decision to send the entire squad to a tiny resort like Noosa was ill-advised.

“It was asking for trouble to send the squad en masse to a tiny resort like Noosa, rather than encourage the players to disperse during what became a nine-day gap between the second and third Tests,” the report stated.

The implication is that the team would have been better served by allowing players to take individual breaks rather than gathering together in a high-profile resort where their activities were likely to attract attention and scrutiny.

England head to Sydney for final Test

The conclusion of the investigation will come as a relief to Ben Stokes and his team as they prepare for the fifth and final Ashes Test in Sydney, starting on January 4.

After slumping to an unassailable 0-3 deficit, England salvaged some pride by winning the fourth Test in Melbourne inside two days—a result that avoided a whitewash and gave them momentum heading into the series finale.

Stokes and his men will now look to end the series on a high note by securing a 3-2 scoreline with a win at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).