Steve Harmison Says Cricket Must Address Its Drinking Culture

Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison has called for cricket to take a serious look at its long-standing relationship with alcohol after another off-field incident involving an England player reignited debate about drinking culture in the sport.

Harmison’s comments came after England fast bowler Brydon Carse was removed from the squad for the second Test against Pakistan following an incident outside a nightclub in Derby. Footage circulated on social media appeared to show Carse in handcuffs being spoken to by police. Carse was subsequently released without charge, while the Cricket Regulator was asked to investigate whether there had been any breach of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s code of conduct.

The incident has once again placed English cricket’s off-field behaviour under the microscope. It follows several other controversies involving England players in recent months, including incidents involving Harry Brook, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson.

For Harmison, however, the problem is bigger than the England team. The 2005 Ashes hero believes cricket itself has developed a culture in which alcohol has remained deeply connected to the sport despite the enormous changes in professionalism, money, fitness and public scrutiny.

Harmison Says Cricket Has a Bigger Problem

Speaking on talkSPORT, Harmison was direct when asked why alcohol-related controversies continue to appear around professional cricket.

The former England paceman argued that the issue should not simply be labelled an “England drinking problem”. In his view, cricket as a sport has historically been associated with drinking, and that relationship has failed to evolve at the same speed as the professional game.

Harmison pointed out that professional cricket today bears little resemblance to the sport played several decades ago. Players are centrally contracted, involved in lucrative franchise competitions, followed by millions of people on social media and expected to maintain professional standards throughout their careers.

That creates a difficult contradiction. Cricket’s social traditions have remained familiar, but the responsibilities attached to being a professional cricketer have changed dramatically.

“Players should know better” was essentially the message behind Harmison’s argument. With smartphones and social media recording almost every public incident, players cannot expect behaviour away from the ground to remain private.

The Brydon Carse Incident That Started the Latest Debate

The latest controversy centres on Brydon Carse, who was part of England’s squad for the Test series against Pakistan.

Videos emerged showing Carse being led away by police officers outside a Derby nightclub. The incident took place after Durham’s County Championship match against Derbyshire, meaning Carse was not on official England duty at the time. Nevertheless, he was a centrally contracted England player and was due to remain part of the squad for the second Test.

The ECB subsequently removed him from the squad while the matter was investigated. Sonny Baker was brought into the England group for the Lord’s Test.

It is important to distinguish the existence of the incident from any assumption of guilt. Carse was released and no charges were brought against him. The Cricket Regulator’s investigation will determine whether his conduct breached the relevant sporting rules.

Nevertheless, the optics were damaging.

The England team had already been trying to move beyond a series of off-field controversies. Another incident involving a centrally contracted player inevitably created fresh questions about whether previous warnings had actually changed behaviour.

Joe Root’s Frustration Shows the Problem

England’s returning Test captain Joe Root has also made clear that the repeated controversies are becoming frustrating.

Root described himself as “really hacked off” and disappointed by the recurrence of off-field mistakes. He stressed that the issue was not simply one isolated incident, but the fact that repeated controversies were distracting attention from the team’s cricket.

Root has also emphasised the importance of creating a culture that the players can be proud of.

That is significant because England’s current leadership is attempting to establish a fresh identity after a difficult period. The team recently experienced a major transition, with Ben Stokes retiring from international cricket and Brendon McCullum leaving his role as Test coach.

Instead of allowing off-field controversies to dominate headlines, the leadership wants the conversation to return to performances on the field.

But that becomes difficult when the same type of issue keeps appearing.

Recent controversies have included:

• Brydon Carse being filmed in handcuffs outside a Derby nightclub.
• Harry Brook being fined after an incident during England’s New Zealand tour.
• Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson facing disciplinary consequences after a curfew incident.
• Reports of heavy drinking during England’s Ashes tour in Australia.

These incidents do not necessarily prove that every England player has a problem with alcohol. They do, however, explain why the wider cricket culture is now receiving increased attention.

Ben Stokes Made a Similar Argument

Interestingly, Harmison’s comments echo recent remarks made by former England captain Ben Stokes.

Stokes, who retired from international cricket earlier this year, rejected the idea that his England team specifically had a drinking problem. Instead, he argued that cricket more broadly has maintained a strong association with alcohol for generations.

According to Stokes, the sport has become increasingly professional, with better nutrition, sports science, medical support and fitness programmes. Yet its relationship with alcohol has remained largely unchanged.

That distinction is important.

There is a difference between saying professional cricketers should never drink alcohol and saying that cricket needs to reconsider how drinking fits into its culture.

Harmison appears to favour the latter argument. He is not simply calling for alcohol to disappear from the sport. Instead, he believes the professional game needs to recognise that players now have responsibilities that did not exist to the same extent in previous generations.

Cricket’s Drinking Tradition Goes Back Generations

Drinking has long been connected with cricket, particularly in England.

At amateur and club level, players traditionally gather at the clubhouse or pub after matches. The social side of the game is often considered an important part of cricket’s identity.

Even professional players have historically shared drinks after games. For generations, the boundary between cricket and socialising has therefore been relatively thin.

Harmison himself acknowledged that during his playing days, having a drink after a match was common. The major difference, he believes, is that the professional environment has changed.

In previous decades, players could have a few drinks after a day’s play and return the following morning with comparatively little public attention. Today, a player’s actions can be recorded on a mobile phone and distributed worldwide within minutes.

That technological change has transformed the consequences of poor decisions.

Why the Modern Game Demands More Responsibility

Professional cricket is now a global entertainment business.

Top players earn significant salaries, play in international competitions and franchise leagues and have enormous social-media followings. They are also increasingly viewed as role models by young fans.

Harmison believes those realities should influence player behaviour.

The issue is not simply reputation. An off-field incident can affect selection, team preparation, sponsors, teammates and the public perception of the sport.

There is also a performance argument. Excessive alcohol consumption can interfere with recovery, sleep, hydration and preparation, all of which are essential in a sport where small physical advantages can determine results.

Modern professional cricket has invested heavily in sports science. Teams employ nutritionists, physiotherapists, strength-and-conditioning coaches and medical specialists. From that perspective, an uncontrolled drinking culture would appear increasingly inconsistent with the rest of the professional environment.

Does Cricket Need Stricter Rules?

The debate has naturally raised the possibility of stricter alcohol policies.

Some believe professional teams should introduce clear restrictions around drinking during tournaments. Others argue that adult professional athletes should be trusted to make their own decisions.

Harmison did not present a simple argument for completely banning alcohol. Instead, he stressed the need for greater responsibility and a cultural change across the sport.

A complete ban could also create unintended problems. Players are adults, and expecting them to follow excessively restrictive rules outside official duties may not be realistic.

The more practical approach could involve clear expectations, education, support and consequences when players cross agreed boundaries.

Possible areas cricket authorities could focus on include:

Area	Possible approach
Player education	Explain professional responsibilities and consequences
Team policies	Clear rules during tours and competitions
Welfare	Provide support around alcohol and mental wellbeing
Leadership	Stronger communication from captains and management
Accountability	Consistent consequences for serious misconduct
Social media	Greater awareness of public behaviour and digital exposure

The goal would not necessarily be to eliminate social drinking but to ensure that it does not interfere with professional responsibilities or bring the sport into unnecessary disrepute.

Why Social Media Has Changed Everything

Perhaps the biggest difference between Harmison’s playing era and the modern game is the camera in everyone’s pocket.

A player can now be filmed inside or outside a venue without knowing it. A short video can reach millions of people before the individual involved has even had an opportunity to explain what happened.

That makes public behaviour much harder to separate from professional identity.

Harmison specifically pointed to social media when discussing why players should be more careful. His message was simple: modern international athletes cannot assume that questionable behaviour will remain hidden.

This is not unique to cricket. Football, rugby and other major sports have faced similar challenges as athletes have become increasingly visible outside competition.

But cricket’s historical drinking culture makes the issue particularly sensitive.

What Should Happen Next?

The immediate priority for England is to allow the Carse investigation to run its course fairly.

The fact that he was removed from the Pakistan Test squad demonstrates that the ECB is taking the situation seriously. However, long-term change will require more than reacting to individual incidents.

England’s leadership needs to decide what standards it expects from centrally contracted players and communicate those standards consistently.

The players, meanwhile, must recognise that professional responsibility does not disappear the moment they leave the stadium.

For Harmison, this is ultimately about the future of the sport rather than one individual player.

Conclusion

Steve Harmison’s intervention has reignited an uncomfortable but important conversation about the relationship between cricket and alcohol.

The Brydon Carse incident may ultimately prove to be an isolated disciplinary matter once the investigation is complete. But it arrived at a particularly sensitive moment for English cricket, with several recent controversies already prompting questions about player behaviour.

Harmison’s central argument is that the sport cannot continue operating according to old social traditions while expecting players to meet modern professional standards. Cricket has changed enormously. Players are fitter, better paid, more closely monitored and more visible than ever before.

FAQs

What did Steve Harmison say about cricket’s drinking culture?

Harmison argued that cricket itself has a long-standing drinking culture and needs to address its relationship with alcohol. He said the modern game has become more professional but its relationship with alcohol has not evolved at the same pace.

Did Brydon Carse face criminal charges?

No. Reports state that Carse was released and no charges were brought. The sporting investigation is separate and concerns whether his conduct breached the ECB’s code of conduct.

Has Ben Stokes also spoken about cricket’s relationship with alcohol?

Yes. Stokes recently argued that cricket has a broader culture associated with alcohol rather than saying the England team itself has a drinking problem. He noted that the sport has become more professional while its relationship with alcohol has remained embedded.

Is Harmison calling for alcohol to be completely banned from cricket?

Not exactly. His comments focus more broadly on responsibility and cultural change. He believes professional players need to recognise their responsibilities and understand the consequences of their actions.