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Ben Duckett - drunk.

If we weren't losing 3-0 I don't think this would be that big a story. Don't think there'll ever of been a tour to the non Asian countries where a lot of the team haven't gone out and got pissed in the middle of a tour if there was a big gap.

A level of fitness is required for test cricket but a lot of great batsmen weren't that fit. Smith, Kallis, Tendulkar, Lara didn't look particularly fit.

Noosa was definitely a bad idea but don't think Duckett should be removed from the team for it.

You’re talking about lads from basically 20 years ago some of them.

Like saying that Sadiki and Diarra should be going on the piss before the derby, cos Tony Adam’s and Ray Parlor did it, and it didn’t do them any harm at Arsenal back then.

Footballs moved on, why hasn’t cricket?

I get the let off steam point, but surely you can do that without drink in Australia like. Golf is the obvious example, but plenty more things as well.
 

There has to be a clear difference surely between having a few points or even getting drunk.

Then getting soo soo drunk you lost and can’t get home!

It's pretty much what others have pointed out - players treating it as a long holiday with playing a bit of cricket. At this level, every percentage counts and after a night out like this you lose so much for days. Completely unprofessional and wrong attitude.
 
I've just heard a bit on the radio with Ben Stokes saying we need to have some empty with the team. What the actual fuck?? They're a bunch of lads who are on a 2 month piss up around Australia living their best lives. Nevermind the fact that they've been shite since day 1.
 
I think that’s tone deaf from Stokes and followed up by Vaughan. The message we are being given is that we have to accept unprofessional behaviour and we don’t understand the pressure . And Vaughan did it when he was a player so that’s ok . Stokes brings everything back to him and his context . They are so self obsessed . I find the whole group really hard to like . Is it so difficult to be professional for a short period of time .
 
It’s a car crash but it all gets exacerbated because of how terrible we’ve been on the pitch. It wasn’t that long ago Stokes got sent home early from an England A tour in disgrace, and of course the incident with Hales which he did well to survive. And that’s your England captain!

Key was also a piss head and I don’t see any discipline coming down from McCullum.

I’ve no issue on a scheduled break during what is a really long tour for the players to have some down time. Even some beers of course but do it in the hotel and behind closed doors.
 
There has to be a clear difference surely between having a few points or even getting drunk.

Then getting soo soo drunk you lost and can’t get home!
Getting so drunk I couldn’t get home has happened to me once in my life. Aged 17.

He’s a 31 year old bloke representing his country. It’s baffling.

Stokes is preaching “empathy”. If he has mental health concerns about the lad, then don’t pick him for the MCG. In a series that’s already lost.
 
Getting so drunk I couldn’t get home has happened to me once in my life. Aged 17.

He’s a 31 year old bloke representing his country. It’s baffling.

Stokes is preaching “empathy”. If he has mental health concerns about the lad, then don’t pick him for the MCG. In a series that’s already lost.
I wasn't as drunk as Duckett on my stag night (also 31). Most people only get blind drunk once and learn their lesson. Not this lad though.
Stokes has been on the only shining lights after Joff. He has to keep the captaincy for me.
If there is substance to claims of several players on the drink for six straight nights he should be sacked. Given the performances in the first two tests, and question marks about the mid-series break in that context, the least they should have done is keep their heads down.

Imagine bring a fan, paying five to ten grand to travel to Australia, and the players carry on like this and we are told to show some empathy. Arrogant fuckwits.
 
If there’s one series that genuinely really matters to English cricket and the cricketing public and makes heroes out of players it’s an Australia tour. Be absolutely professional for six to eight weeks once every four years and leave no stone unturned. Work harder than you normally would, prepare better than you normally would, be more mindful of your surroundings than you normally would.

And aside from that, if can’t go to Australia and enjoy what it has to offer for six weeks without getting absolutely mortal then there’s something seriously wrong.

For a side that ultimately set out to win hearts and minds and ‘save’ test cricket, they’ve done an absolutely impeccable job of making nearly everyone dislike them. It’s quite the achievement.
 
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