Forget curfew, get rid of them

MICHAEL Vaughan has called on England to lift its curfew but immediately send home any player who steps out of line.

The former England captain believes the current crop “aren’t the smartest group” and that major personnel changes may be needed to resurrect what is being perceived as a dysfunctional culture.

England’s Ashes tour has descended into a complete rabble and Vaughan has long said that the problems started months ago when disciplinary issues were allowed to snowball.

Vaughan has reported that Ben Stokes was out until the wee hours during a Test match in Manchester earlier in the year, and nothing was done.

Now the wheels are completely off.

Former Test player Stuart Clark has questioned whether veteran pace duo Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad are even putting in for their young captain Joe Root, on the eve of their 100th Test match together. There are reports that youngster Ben Duckett has taken the full rap for the beer pouring drama, even though other senior players may also have been involved.

If true, the ECB stand accused of double standards, with Duckett suspended from the rest of the tour.

Speaking at a promotional event for Yorkshire Tea in Perth, Vaughan said the ECB must realise that curfews are wrong, but that the time has come for ruthless decisions.

“I hate the word curfew, if you get to the stage where you have got to have curfews you have got the wrong personnel,” said Vaughan.

“It’s now got to the stage where I would say no curfews at all, do whatever you wish to prepare yourself for that game of cricket, but if you bring any bad PR, whoever you are, on to the England cricket team, you are sent home. Make it dead simple. You bring any bad PR for off-field activities you get sent home and you have got to be dead strong with it.”

Vaughan said Trevor Bayliss should in no way be held accountable for the stupidity of his players.

Former Ashes quick Stuart Clark said England’s problems ran deeper than off-field issues.

Anderson and Broad are about to make history with their 100th Test as a pairing.

But Clark says they’ve undermined their captain Joe Root.

“The toss sums it up for me, what happened at Adelaide,” Clark said on Fox Sports News.

“Joe Root goes out and bowls, they run in and bowl half rat power all over the place and go, ‘I’m not really interested.’ It goes to show me a lack of respect for Joe Root.”

I HATE THE WORD CURFEW, IF YOU GET TO THE STAGE WHERE YOU HAVE GOT TO HAVE CURFEWS YOU HAVE GOT THE WRONG PERSONNEL. MICHAEL VAUGHAN