Brydon Carse Dropped from England Squad for Lord’s Test, Sonny Baker Called Up

England fast bowler Brydon Carse has been withdrawn from the squad for the second Test against Pakistan at Lord’s after being arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in Derby on Saturday night.

Carse had been released from England duty to play for Durham in the County Championship after missing selection for the opening Test at Headingley. Durham defeated Derbyshire on Saturday, after which Carse celebrated with teammates.

A video that emerged on Sunday showed Carse surrounded by police officers and being led away from a venue in Derby, widely reported to be Molly Malone’s Irish Tavern.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that it would investigate the incident and referred the matter to the independent Cricket Regulator. The regulator has since confirmed that it will conduct its own investigation.

With the investigation ongoing, Carse will not be available for selection for the second Test. Hampshire fast bowler Sonny Baker has been called up as his replacement.

“Following a referral from the ECB, the Cricket Regulator have confirmed that they will investigate events on Saturday night in Derby,” the ECB said in a statement.

“Brydon Carse will no longer be available for selection for the second men's Rothesay Test match while this investigation is ongoing and the full facts are obtained. Brydon will be replaced in the squad for this match by Sonny Baker.”

A spokesperson for Derbyshire Constabulary confirmed that a man in his 30s had been arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in Derby city centre on Saturday night. He was released shortly afterwards after agreeing to leave the area.

The incident adds to a growing list of off-field controversies involving England players over the past year and is likely to reignite discussions surrounding alcohol and player behaviour within the England setup.

England's recent disciplinary issues include Harry Brook's nightclub incident in Wellington last year, which resulted in a fine and questions over his position as white-ball captain. England's drinking culture also came under scrutiny during last winter's Ashes series in Australia.

Earlier this summer, Test captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were suspended while the ECB investigated their involvement in celebrations following England's opening Test against New Zealand. Both were later cleared of involvement in violent conduct at a nightclub but received written warnings for breaching specific contractual obligations.

England managing director Rob Key subsequently introduced updated guidance on alcohol consumption. However, the policy has since been relaxed, with Joe Root recently saying the team's midnight curfew had been eased and backing players to behave responsibly.

Carse's latest controversy comes against the backdrop of his own previous disciplinary history. He made his Test debut in late 2024 after serving a ban for historic betting offences. Carse had placed 303 bets on various matches between 2017 and 2019, although he did not play in any of the matches involved. English cricketers are prohibited from betting on cricket under the sport's integrity regulations.

England's squad is scheduled to assemble in London on Monday and will train twice at Lord's ahead of the second Test, which begins on Thursday.

England currently lead the three-match series 1-0 after securing a dominant innings-and-103-run victory over Pakistan at Headingley inside three days.