ECB opens probe into Brydon Carse after reported Derby nightclub incident
England fast bowler Brydon Carse is under investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board after a reported incident at a nightclub in Derby on Saturday, the ECB has confirmed. Videos circulating on social media on Sunday appeared to show Carse in handcuffs being led away by four police officers.
Carse, who made his international debut for England in 2021, plays county cricket for Durham and is included in England's squad for the second Test against Pakistan this week. He was not on England duty at the time of the reported incident and was seen in the footage with team-mate Matthew Potts.
An ECB statement said: "We are aware of an incident which is reported to have taken place in Derby last night, and are currently investigating," an ECB statement read.
The ECB's investigation comes five days after England captain Joe Root urged his players to be "really good role models and human beings" at the start of his second reign as Test captain. "You always want to represent your country in the best possible light," Root, 35, 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 have experienced a turbulent period off the field this year, with former captain Ben Stokes announcing a shock retirement from international cricket and Brendon McCullum sacked as Test coach. Off-field issues also featured last winter, including an incident involving Harry Brook and a nightclub bouncer in Wellington and the team's drinking during a mid-Ashes trip to Noosa, culminating in a heavy 4-1 defeat by Australia.
Those difficulties continued into the summer when Stokes broke a team curfew, setting in motion what the report describes as a chaotic six weeks that resulted in a 2-1 series defeat by New Zealand, Stokes' retirement and the sacking of McCullum. Speaking to Sky Sports, Root said: "There's not going to be a curfew. I don't think this needs to be a big deal, to be honest."
Carse was born in South Africa and was suspended from cricket for three months in 2024 for historic betting offences. He was banned after putting 303 bets on matches between 2017 and 2019, though he was not involved in any of them.
"We will provide a further update when possible," an ECB statement read; Carse is due to meet up with the England squad on Monday.
