By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
England Cricket Board (ECB) to probe reports of excessive drinking by players in between the second and third Ashes Tests in Australia.
Australia wrapped up an 82-run win on day five of the third test in Adelaide on Sunday to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series and retain the urn.
Following eight-wicket defeats in Perth and Brisbane, the England camp took a break in Noosa with reports in British and Australian media saying the players were drinking throughout their time in the holiday hotspot.
England director of cricket Rob Key told BBC Sport: “Headlines can be misleading at times, saying it’s a stag do and stuff like that.
“Stories of players drinking six days solid – that’s unacceptable. We’ll be looking into seeing what the facts are as opposed to the things that have been embellished or elaborated on.”
The break in Noosa was arranged in advance of the Ashes tour and went ahead despite England falling 2-0 behind after two Tests. While the entire squad was present in Noosa, former Kent and England batter Key was in another part of Queensland.
Meanwhile Australia captain Pat Cummins and spinner Nathan Lyon will miss the rest of the Ashes series, starting with the Boxing Day Test against England in Melbourne.
Cummins is being rested for the fourth and fifth Tests after rushing his return from a back injury to play in the decisive third Test in Adelaide.
Spinner Lyon had surgery on the hamstring injury he suffered in Adelaide on Tuesday and there is no timeframe for his recovery.
Batter Steve Smith, who missed the third Test with illness, once again steps up to lead in Cummins’ absence, while Todd Murphy comes in to replace Lyon.