A video said to feature Ben Duckett has been circulated hours after England cricket boss Rob Key said officials would investigate claims of excessive drinking on the Ashes tour.
It is another problem for a disastrous trip. England are 3-0 down going into the Boxing Day Test and cannot win the series.
The England and Cricket Board (ECB) has released a statement saying it is looking into the video, yet to be verified, that has been widely circulated.
The video appears to have been filmed before last week’s Adelaide Test, with a reference to England being down 2-0 in the series.
It shows a man, identified in the video as Duckett, who is slurring his words and does not know the directions to where he is staying. The location is unclear.
The video was posted on Tuesday night. Earlier in the day, Key had spoken to English journalists and said the team’s drinking habits would be investigated following reports a mid-Ashes beach break resembled a “stag do”.
The squad visited Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Ben Duckett has only scored 97 runs in six Test innings this tour, averaging 16.16 with a top score of 29. (Getty Images: Gareth Copley)
Key, who did not join the group in Noosa, has said he would not be happy if he found evidence of over-indulging.
“Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol for an international cricket team is not something that I’d expect to see at any stage and it would be a fault not to look into what happened there,” Key said.
“From everything that I’ve heard so far, they actually were pretty well behaved. Very well behaved.”
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The break on the Queensland coast had been long planned and designed to help players relax and unwind during an intense Ashes tour. A host of TV crews, photographers and reporters followed them to the resort.
“I have no issue with the Noosa trip if it was to get away and just throw your phone away, down tools, go on the beach, all of that stuff,” Key said.
“If it goes into where they’re drinking lots and it’s a stag do, all of that type of stuff, that’s completely unacceptable.”
In response to the video posted on Tuesday night, an ECB spokesperson said: “We are aware of content circulating on social media.
“We have high expectations for behaviour, accepting that players are often under intense levels of scrutiny, with established processes that we follow when conduct falls below expectations. We also support players that need assistance.
“We will not comment further at this stage while we establish the facts.”
England was training at the MCG on Wednesday, with captain Ben Stokes to hold a media conference in the afternoon.
AAP