The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has launched an investigation after an early-morning drinking session at England's team hotel in Hobart ended with the police being called in to send the cricketers to bed.
The gathering took place in a public area in Hobart's Crowne Plaza Hotel, which went on till 6 AM when the police were brought in following a noise complaint from fellow guests. All the players left the area immediately.
ECB's statement
"During the early hours of Monday morning, members of the England and Australia men's teams shared a drink in the team areas of the hotel in Hobart.”
“The hotel management received a noise complaint by a hotel guest, and as is commonplace in Australia, the local police attended the scene. When asked to leave by hotel management and the Tasmanian police, the players and management in question left and returned to their respective hotel rooms. The England party have apologised for any inconvenience caused.”
"The ECB will investigate further. Until such times, we will make no further comment."
Viral video
A mobile phone footage published by the Sydney Morning Herald where Joe Root and James Anderson were seen alongside three Australia players – Nathan Lyon, Travis Head and Alex Carey – still dressed in their whites following the late-night conclusion of the fifth Test in Hobart in the previous evening.
The viral video appears to have been filmed by England's assistant coach, Graham Thorpe in which a female police officer can be heard saying to the group: "Too loud. You have obviously been asked to pack up, so we've been asked to come. Time for bed, thank you. They just want to pack up."
On the other hand, Thorpe can be heard saying, "We've got Nathan Lyon, Root, there's Carey and Anderson. I'll just video this for the lawyers. See you in the morning, everyone."
Ashley Giles, the ECB director of men's cricket, is due to file a report into the circumstances of the tour, including recommendations for the future direction of the Test team. The incident has turned out to be further embarrassment for the England team in the wake of their humiliating 4-0 Ashes loss.
