Former England captain Michael Vaughan has called for strict action from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after pacer Brydon Carse was left out of England’s squad for the second Test against Pakistan following a nightclub incident in Derby.

Carse was reportedly detained by police for a short time after an incident outside a nightclub on the night of August 22. The incident has once again brought England’s drinking culture and off-field behaviour under the spotlight.

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England have faced similar issues in the recent past. During the Test series against New Zealand, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were involved in a nightclub incident and subsequently missed the second Test.

With such incidents continuing to make headlines, Vaughan believes the Cricket Regulator may need to hand out a strong punishment to send a clear message to the entire England setup.

“Someone is going to have to get a punishment that sends a shiver down the whole England cricket team and right down through the programme,” Vaughan told BBC Radio 5 Live.

He added that players need to understand that there will be serious consequences if their behaviour damages the reputation of the England team.

“It’s the only punishment that will really hurt players,” Vaughan said.

England’s long list of off-field incidents

England have dealt with several off-field controversies involving their players over the last year.

Stokes and Atkinson were cleared by the Cricket Regulator after an incident involving a Saracens rugby player who punched a member of England’s security staff.

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During the 2025-26 Ashes, Ben Duckett was seen drinking heavily during the infamous Noosa trip, while several other England players were also spotted partying.

Harry Brook was involved in another incident in Wellington when he received a blow from a nightclub bouncer. Brook had been out with Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue and was later reprimanded by the ECB.

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Vaughan wants Carse to be supported

Despite demanding tougher action, Vaughan also believes Carse needs support and better guidance.

Carse was reportedly out with Durham teammates Ben Stokes and Matthew Potts before he was handcuffed outside a nightclub in Derby.

Vaughan said he would feel sorry for Carse if the authorities decide to use him as an example, but believes the England setup must establish a clear zero-tolerance approach towards such behaviour.

He also suggested that England captain Joe Root is likely to be furious about the incident, particularly after the team’s night curfew was lifted.

Carse did not feature in England’s first Test against Pakistan at Headingley. He had been released from the England squad to play for Durham against Derbyshire in the County Championship Division Two fixture. Stokes and Potts both picked up five-wicket hauls in that match.

The second Test between England and Pakistan is scheduled to begin at Lord’s on August 27.


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