On Monday, August 24, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) declared that Sonny Baker will replace Brydon Carse in the England team’s forthcoming Test match against Pakistan at Lord’s. As long as the ECB’s internal inquiry is ongoing, Carse will not be given consideration for selection.
The Telegraph recently released a brief video of Carse in handcuffs. In the video, he is seen conversing with his Durham teammate Matthew Potts while surrounded by police officers and holding his arms behind his back. In the background of this footage is Ben Stokes, the former captain of England who bowled Durham to victory on Saturday.
According to multiple accounts, Carse was taken into custody for a short time but was later freed without being charged. The exact reason why he was handcuffed by the police has not been made public. Carse was celebrating Durham’s victory against Derbyshire in the County Championship when the incident happened. The video also showed teammate Durham seamer Matthew Potts and England captain Ben Stokes close to Carse at the moment of the incident.
The ECB is greatly embarrassed by the episode, which also calls into question curfews and the relationship between players and drinking. Following England’s first Test of the summer against New Zealand, Stokes and Gus Atkinson were suspended while their celebrations were investigated. Although they were later exonerated of any involvement in violent behaviour at a nightclub, they were issued written warnings for violating “specific contractual obligations.”
Beyond announcing the team change, the ECB has not made any other public statements regarding the extent or character of the investigation. Police have not filed any charges against Carse, and the board has not disclosed the potential conclusion of the probe. As the England selection panel completes its preparations for the Lord’s match, Baker’s involvement offers them a complete range of choices.
