England captain Ben Stokes is offering his full support to under-fire Ben Duckett, after a viral video on social media put the opener in the spotlight.
The tourists’ boozy break in Noosa between the second and third Ashes Test matches has sparked controversy.
Managing director Rob Key confirmed an investigation is underway over the squad’s alcohol intake throughout the series, underlining how “unacceptable” it would be if behaviour resembled a “stag-do”.
And after unverified footage emerged in what appeared to show an inebriated Duckett in a tense exchange with members of the public, Stokes has emphasised his role in putting a protective arm around his beleaguered side despite reiterating the England and Wales Cricket Board’s “high expectations of behaviour”.
There will be nowhere to hide at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where a festive crowd of around 90,000 are expected to dish out plenty of partisan barracking, with Duckett’s precarious position hardly helped by a series batting average of just 16.
Stokes has endured difficult moments in his own career – including being thrown off an England Lions tour in 2013 for breaking team rules and being found not guilty on charges of affray following a 2017 incident outside a Bristol nightclub. He took a mental health break from the game in 2021 and later released a documentary, which detailed his personal struggles.
“I am obviously aware of the reports and everything circulating around. My main concern right now is my players and how I handle this moment is the most important thing to me,” he said.
“I have first-hand experience of how this can affect people and my role as England captain is to protect my players as much as I possibly can. Supporting them and letting them know that I will be there for them through thick and thin is very, very important, and Ben Duckett knows that.
“I’ve obviously reached out, spoken to him and offered my complete support throughout this. Particularly in a moment like this where everything feels like it’s on top of you. My job as England captain is obviously to be out there and get results for the team, but also to try to give people the best chance of being in a mental space where they can go out there and perform.”
Detailing his conversation with Duckett, he said: “You know when you go up to someone and say, ‘I’m always here for you if you need five minutes’. I just reassured him that I’m not saying that for the sake of it. Just please come to me because I know what it’s like. It’s not a nice place to be.”
With no reserve openers on tour, Duckett was never likely to be stood down in Melbourne, but as expected Ollie Pope has finally run out of road at number three. Jacob Bethell gets the nod in what will be comfortably the biggest game of his career.
Pope has been under pressure for a year, averages 17 across 16 Ashes innings and lost the vice-captaincy just before travelling to Australia. He now faces a return to county cricket and a long road back after 64 Tests.
Gus Atkinson also returns to the England XI in place of Jofra Archer, with England’s most threatening pace bowler ruled out for the remainder of the tour with a worrying left side strain.
PA
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