The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has reportedly drawn a line in the sand, declaring it will attempt to block any future Australian plans to host another day-night Test during the next Ashes series down under.
England's Pink-Ball Ultimatum
Following England's demoralising eight-wicket loss in the day-night second Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, which saw them go 2-0 down in the series, talks between Cricket Australia and the ECB have taken a firm turn. According to a BBC report, the ECB used post-series conversations to "indicate their stance" against another pink-ball fixture in the 2029-30 Ashes series, more than three years away.
This stance emerges despite the one-off 150th anniversary Test at the MCG in March next year already being locked in as a day-night match. There are clear concerns within the English camp about facing another potential humiliation under lights, given Australia's formidable record in such conditions. Australia has hosted the majority of pink-ball Tests since their introduction and extended their dominance with the comprehensive win over England in Brisbane.
Broad Defends Team Culture Amid Scrutiny
Meanwhile, England's legendary fast bowler Stuart Broad has publicly addressed off-field incidents that plagued the tour, insisting the team does not have a problematic drinking culture. This comes after high-profile episodes involving alcohol in both Australia and New Zealand.
White-ball captain and Test vice-captain Harry Brook was fined for a late-night altercation with a bouncer in Wellington just hours before leading the side in an ODI last November. During the Ashes, a mid-series break in Noosa attracted attention, with players pictured drinking publicly over multiple days. A video also surfaced of a seemingly disoriented Ben Duckett in a tetchy exchange with fans.
Broad, who took 604 wickets in 167 Tests before retiring after the 2023 Ashes, defended the team's environment on his podcast. "I think cultural-wise, England are good, there isn't a drinking culture," Broad stated. He pointed to senior players like Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Zak Crawley, and Ollie Pope as not being big drinkers, suggesting a few isolated mistakes had been amplified.
Looking Out For Each Other, Not Curfews
While there has been speculation about the potential reimposition of a midnight curfew—a measure used in the 2017-18 tour but scrapped under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes—Broad believes the solution lies elsewhere. He argued the core issue was not players being out late, but a failure of teammates to intervene and protect one another.
"It's having the teammates around you to go 'your time's up, mate'," Broad explained. He suggested that a strong team culture would have prevented situations like Duckett being left alone or Brook confronting a bouncer. Broad expressed doubt that coach McCullum and managing director Rob Key would resort to strict curfews, instead expecting a focus on collective responsibility. "They'll just be saying 'look after each other a bit, let's get tighter'," he concluded.
