England have found support from somewhat unexpected quarters amid reports of players drinking excessively during their break in the popular beach side destination Noosa ahead of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide. Former Australia head coach and former batter Darren Lehmann said that he was there around the time that England were there and he saw that they were well-behaved and well-liked by the locals.
“I was in Noosa and this bugs me. I am all for getting stuck into England. They haven’t played well enough, their preparation before the first game of the series (was not good) I get all that. But I was actually there. They were actually really well behaved. They mixed with the locals, had a good time,” said Lehmann on ABC Sport.
“The reports of them stagged is just wrong. They were polite and a delight to the people of Noosa, played golf, played soccer with the locals all that sort of stuff. They were well liked there.”
England cricket’s managing director Rob Key has said that the board will investigate reports of players’ conduct during the break, adding that drinking heavily is ‘completely unacceptable’ for an international cricket team. Opener Ben Duckett is especially under fire over a viral video in which he is alleged to be inebriated.
“I would defend them a bit because that’s just out of order. They are running a campaign against them almost and now Rob Key is doing what, a stag-do review or whatever they call it,” said Lehmann. “I didn’t see that. I saw people relaxing, enjoying Noosa for what it is. It didn’t look good because what had happened previously but I have to come to their defence here because they are professional athletes and they are well behaved from what I saw.”
The accusations came after England suffered an 82-run defeat in the third Ashes Test, which put them 3-0 behind in the series and thus confirmed a series defeat for them. England had come under fire for their preparations before the start of the series, choosing not to play any first class games in Australia before the first Test. Additionally, England’s overly aggressive batting tactics that they have maintaied under the leadership of captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum have come under heavy fire due to the manner in which their batters have been dismissed.
