Michael Vaughan compares England drinking to students

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has compared the current side to students due to their drinking behaviour off of the field.

Ben Duckett was suspended and fined this week after pouring a drink over Jimmy Anderson at a bar in Perth. It is the third alcohol-related occurrence to blight England in recent months, after previous episodes involving Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow.

And despite players being under a greater lens in the age of social media, Vaughan does not believe it works as an excuse.

Ben Duckett has been suspended and fined after pouring a drink over James Anderson in a bar

‘It winds me up when I hear that social media is the problem,’ Vaughan said in a video on his Instagram post. ‘Social media didn’t pour a drink over someone. Social media didn’t punch someone in the street in Bristol. Social media didn’t introduce himself with a headbutt.

‘These are all kind of excuses. The first thing someone in the street yesterday comes and says: “Oh social media, it’s so difficult these days.” Social media didn’t release what happened on Thursday night. It’s an easy excuse, the perception of this England side is they drink and they party too much.

There is only one way to deal with it – don’t do it. Back in my day, I remember the 2006-07 story, it was a joke. It was a joke, we drank too much. But the team weren’t under surveillance as much.

‘I think the way that they drink these days is different. I do think they’ve gone into the world of what students do, big trays of shots.’

Anderson has played down the bar incident between himself and batsman Duckett

Anderson said England have already moved on and will not let Australia use it to distract them

England are 2-0 down in the five-Test series and need to avoid defeat in Perth if they are to have any hope of retaining the Ashes.

The third Test, at the WACA in Perth, begins Thursday.