Video of England Players and Police at Hobart Hotel Sparks Inquiry After Public Leak

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has initiated an investigation following the leak of a video showing England captain Joe Root, bowler James Anderson, and other players involved in a police visit after a post-Ashes celebration in Hobart. The footage, which appears to have been filmed by assistant coach Graham Thorpe, has raised concerns within the ECB regarding the handling of the incident and its subsequent public release.

The video, released by Australian media, shows Root, Anderson, and Australian players Nathan Lyon, Travis Head, and Alex Carey drinking together in the early hours of Monday morning at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Hobart, following the conclusion of the Ashes series. While some players had already returned to their rooms, the group remained after a long day-night Test match, which led to the players gathering for drinks in the team hotel rather than the usual post-match location at the ground.

Local police were called to the scene after a noise complaint from a nearby resident. Tasmanian police attended the terrace of the hotel where the players were drinking but confirmed no further action would be taken, as the group complied with the officers’ instructions and returned to their rooms without incident. The ECB and Cricket Australia have stated that they do not object to the players’ behaviour but are concerned with how the incident was filmed and leaked to the media.

The investigation will focus on the leak, as it appears Thorpe, who had temporarily assumed leadership of the team during Chris Silverwood’s Covid isolation, was the one who filmed the incident. Although his face is not visible, his voice can be heard in the video instructing: “Just video this, just for the lawyers,” before the camera pans across the players.

Tasmania Police issued a statement confirming they attended the scene due to “intoxicated individuals” but assured there would be no further action. The ECB has also issued a statement, confirming that the incident occurred in the early hours of Monday after a noise complaint was lodged. The players complied with requests from the hotel management and the police to disperse, and the England team has apologised for any inconvenience caused.

This video leak comes at a particularly difficult time for the ECB, following England’s 4-0 loss in the Ashes series and ongoing concerns about maintaining professional standards within the team and coaching staff. The incident further complicates the ECB’s efforts to clean up the image of English cricket, following other recent controversies such as Ben Stokes’s court case and racism allegations within the game.

There is increasing pressure on head coach Chris Silverwood, whose position is under scrutiny, as well as on Thorpe, whose role in developing England’s batting line-up has been questioned, particularly after the team’s failure to exceed 300 runs in any of their 10 innings in Australia.

Both Cricket Australia (CA) and the ECB are angry about the way the footage was leaked, and tensions remain high as investigations continue into both the incident and the broader issues surrounding England’s performance and internal operations.