England’s cricketers apologized Wednesday after some team members were seen urinating on the field at The Oval as they celebrated the Ashes series victory over Australia.
The fifth and final Ashes test at The Oval in south london was drawn on Sunday, giving England a 3-0 series win and sparking late-night celebrations. As England players drank beer, Australian journalists in the ground reported seeing some of them urinating on the field. “The England cricket team would like to state that during our celebrations after winning the Ashes at no time was there any intention to disrespect Surrey CCC (County Cricket Club), The Oval or anyone else involved in the game we love,” the team said in a statement released by the ECB. “We got carried away amongst the euphoria of winning such a prestigious series and accept that some of our behavior was inappropriate,” the statement said. “If that has caused any offense to anyone we apologize for that and want to reassure people that it was a simple error of judgment more than anything else.”
It was the latest alcohol-fueled incident involving England and the Australians in recent months. In June, England batsman Joe Root was punched by Australian counterpart David Warner in a bar in Birmingham. Earlier this month, England spinner Monty Panesar was given a fixed penalty notice by police for being “drunk and disorderly” following a late-night incident. Panesar was ejected from a nightclub in Brighton, and then urinated in public.
Gambhir falls for duck
Bristol: India discard Gautam Gambhir’s woeful county stint continued after he failed for the fourth time while turning up for Essex, this time in a first-class match against Gloucestershire here on Wednesday. Gambhir’s sequence of scores in the four matches for Essex (two first-class and two list A) read a horrible 31, 21, 2 and 0. He has not even come close to scoring a 50 for his county side who replaced him in place of Hamish Rutherford. Gambhir, who is struggling against the seamers was out without scoring after facing eight deliveries as right-arm seamer William Gidman castled him in the fifth over of the day.
Arthur looks to rugby
Perth: Former Australia cricket coach Mickey Arthur is in preliminary talks with Super Rugby’s Western Force for a position in talent development and recruitment. The club on confirmed Wednesday that Arthur, who is good friends with Force coach and former Australia hooker Michael Foley, has been in discussions with team management.
Arthur, who was fired as Australia coach in June — just two weeks ahead of the Ashes series — and reached a settlement on his unfair dismissal claim, has remained in Perth and is athletic director at a private school. Arthur has rugby connections in his native South Africa and Fairfax Media said on Wednesday that Arthur helped the Perth team sign flyhalf Sias Ebersohn from the Cheetahs last year, one of three South Africans on the Force.
Watson expected to play for Rajasthan Royals in ClT20
Melbourne: Cricket Australia is expected to release Shane Watson to his IPl franchise Rajasthan Royals for next month’s $6 million Champions league Twenty20, a development which could add to the headache of Board officials in the home Ashes preparation. According to rules, players who have qualified for an IPl side and another team will have to choose the former in the Champions league T20. Watson and Mitchell Johnson played for Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians respectively in the IPl besides being members of Big Bash team Brisbane Heat which has also qualified for the ClT20.