ECB investigates Carse over reported ‘nightclub incident’

England fast bowler Brydon Carse is under investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after reportedly being involved in an incident at a nightclub in Derby.

Videos circulating on social media appeared to show Carse in handcuffs as he was escorted from a club by four police officers on Saturday night.

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The Durham bowler was reportedly with England team-mate Matthew Potts at the time. Carse was not on England duty when the incident allegedly occurred but is due to join the squad on Monday ahead of the second Test against Pakistan.

The ECB confirmed it was looking into the matter.

“We are aware of an incident which is reported to have taken place in Derby last night, and are currently investigating,” the ECB said in a statement.

“We will provide a further update when possible.”

The investigation comes just days after England Test captain Joe Root called on his players to maintain high standards both on and off the field.

“You always want to represent your country in the best possible light,” Root told BBC Sport.

“We might have fallen short of that on a few occasions in the recent past. The only thing we can do to rectify that is be really good role models, good human beings and put in really strong performances on the field.”

England under scrutiny over off-field issues

The latest incident comes during a period of significant change and controversy within England cricket.

Former captain Ben Stokes recently announced his retirement from international cricket, while Test coach Brendon McCullum was sacked following a difficult period for the team.

England also endured a turbulent winter, with off-field incidents involving players attracting significant attention.

Harry Brook was involved in an incident with a nightclub bouncer during the tour of New Zealand, while England’s drinking during a mid-Ashes trip to Noosa also came under scrutiny.

Those events contributed to increased pressure on the team, which eventually suffered a 4-1 Ashes defeat by Australia.

The problems continued into the summer when Stokes broke a team curfew, contributing to a difficult six-week period that ended with England losing a series against New Zealand, Stokes retiring and McCullum leaving his role.

Despite the previous problems, Root recently decided to remove the midnight curfew imposed on players in January.

“There’s not going to be a curfew. I don’t think this needs to be a big deal, to be honest,” Root told Sky Sports.

Carse’s previous disciplinary case

The reported nightclub incident is not Carse’s first disciplinary issue.

The 30-year-old, who was born in South Africa, was suspended from cricket for three months in 2024 after admitting historical betting offences.

Carse was found to have placed 303 bets between 2017 and 2019, although none of the bets involved matches in which he was participating.

He has since established himself as an important member of England’s bowling attack and was selected for the squad preparing for the second Test against Pakistan.

The ECB’s investigation will determine whether any further action is required over the reported Derby incident.