A lot has been said about touring England team’s conduct during the Ashes 2025. But then former skipper Michael Vaughan has jumped out in the defence of Ben Duckett, who has received a lot of flak recently. Vaughan said that having a few beers on a scheduled break should not be dealt with, so severely. All this has come at a time when the team’s on-field performance is in shambles, with them trailing 0-3.
Ben Duckett receives criticism for Noosa episode
In his column for the Telegraph, Vaughan wrote, “I am not going to criticise England for what they got up to in Noosa. I criticise what they do on the cricket field, the way they play and the way they prepare to play cricket.
“I am not going to point the finger at a group of young people who have had a few beers on a couple of days off. I did exactly the same as them when I played for England, although I did at least know when it was time to go home and that is probably what Ben Duckett needs to learn.”
Vaughan comes out in support
Vaughan also shut down calls for disciplinary action against the players. “Duckett should not be reprimanded at all on the evidence we have seen, and neither should the other players, because it is a wider issue: the game of cricket has created this drinking culture. England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa all have the same culture. You give a group of young people three or four days off to relax, and they’re going to do something like that,” he added.
But all this has only amplified England’s struggles in Australia, who have not won a Test match Down Under since 2011. That is a staggering 16 Tests lost out of 18 played in this period, with only two draws. Now, the visitors face a risk of 0-5 whitewash, which would not be their first.
Editor's Pick
Cricket
Alternate Team India squad picked for T20 World Cup 2026, Shubman Gill snubbed again
Top Stories
