Rob Secret is contemplating an alcohol ban for England’s cricketers ‘at any time and at any stage’ – and admitted he has not dominated out sacking Ben Stokes after he and Gus Atkinson broke the workforce curfew following the primary Take a look at victory over New Zealand at Lord’s.
Because the fallout from their late-night journey to The Rex Rooms in Chelsea continued, Key revealed that Atkinson advised him he was unaware a curfew had been in place for a number of months – however added that the quick bowler had apologised to move coach Brendon McCullum for his half within the Take a look at workforce’s newest off-field controversy.
On the day Stokes was seen for the primary time since Sunday night time, rising from his house in County Durham in a baseball cap, a hoodie and tracksuit bottoms, Key expressed his despair and anger on the gamers’ failure to respect the brand new rubric.
‘Lots of people have had telephone calls that you simply’re simply in disbelief with,’ mentioned England’s managing director. ‘You then get offended. There’s a load of issues and I’m nonetheless unsure I’m over these for the time being.
Ben Stokes pictured by his house in County Durham on Thursday afternoon
‘Over the previous few months Ben and I’ve spent a lot time collectively speaking and understanding the way in which ahead, and I believed a few of these issues have been beginning to come to fruition on the pitch. To then in a short time be speaking about this isn’t the place I need to be.
‘I’m attempting to provide myself a little bit of time. Do we have to take a look at, really, have we been strict sufficient? Even after they win a recreation of cricket, is it now a time when there’s simply no alcohol at any time and at any stage?
‘I have to assume by means of this stuff, as a result of I don’t need to make a rash choice that really hinders the workforce and creates a state of affairs the place they do not really feel they will do something. However the gamers now have to point out the general public that they are often trusted. At this level it’s laborious to say they will.’
Throughout a media briefing at The Oval, venue for subsequent week’s more and more essential second Take a look at in opposition to New Zealand, Key a number of instances declined the prospect to again Stokes’s captaincy.
Requested whether or not he was saying he wouldn’t sack him, he replied: ‘I’m not saying that. At this time limit, it has not crossed my thoughts to get that far forward. It’s nearly discovering out all the knowledge, discovering out how he’s, placing all that info collectively and understanding what the very best factor to do is.
‘Now we have to let that course of play out, as a result of I need to work out what the very best factor to do for this workforce is, and the very best factor to do for Ben Stokes.’
Key prompt there was no excuse for Atkinson not understanding in regards to the curfew after it was launched in January, and added: ‘If these protocols weren’t in place, it might have been so much worse.’
