Another bar crisis! Ben Duckett dropped, suspended by England after fresh incident in Perth

England’s Ashes tour has been plunged into a fresh crisis with batsman Ben Duckett dropped from a tour game on Saturday and suspended following a new incident in a Perth bar.

Duckett, who was selected to open the batting in England’s two-day tour match against a Cricket Australia XI in Perth, was a late omission from the team. Reports said Duckett was involved in an incident late Thursday where he is said to have poured a drink over a senior player following a heated row.

The Northants batsman was suspended by team management while a disciplinary investigation took place, according to Cricket.com.au. It was the first night after England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) director of cricket Andrew Strauss agreed to a relaxing of the midnight curfew placed on the Test squad a fortnight ago.

That curfew followed news that wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow headbutted Australian Test opener Cameron Bancroft in a Perth bar during the tourists’ first night on tour. Duckett, 23, has been touring Australia with England Lions and was among a number of players promoted for the current tour match while senior players rested ahead of next week’s all-important third Test against Australia in Perth.

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