BRISBANE: England captain Ben Stokes has urged his players to continue enjoying their time off without being distracted by media attention, following the controversy involving e-scooter rides during the ongoing Ashes tour of Australia.
England arrived in Brisbane last week after suffering a crushing defeat in the opening Test in Perth, a match that ended inside two days and created a long gap before the second Test at The Gabba, scheduled for December 4.
During the break, Stokes, fast bowler Mark Wood and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith were spotted riding e-scooters in the city without helmets, a move that breaches Queensland road safety laws and could attract fines.
Under local regulations, riding without protective headgear can attract a fine of up to 166 Australian dollars. Smith’s scooter was reportedly fitted with a helmet, but it was not being worn.
Despite the backlash and risk of police action, Ben Stokes played down the incident and backed his players’ right to unwind away from cricket, stressing the importance of mental freedom on long and demanding tours.
“If the media think it’s going to stop us enjoying this country when we have time off, then it’s not going to do that,” Stokes said at the pre-match press conference.
“One of the most important things on tour, especially when you’re under pressure, is to go out, free your mind and enjoy yourself.”
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The England skipper also addressed the heightened scrutiny surrounding the team’s movements, noting that players are being followed closely at public venues across Brisbane.
“They’re going to be there and film us, so the message to the group is not to make decisions based on the fear of being caught on camera,” he added.
“We are human. We need to enjoy countries when we get the opportunity.”
Ben Stokes further defended the idea of players stepping away from the game between matches, saying he saw nothing wrong with spending downtime on leisure activities.
“I don’t see anything wrong with going out and spending your time off on a golf course or having coffee or lunch, riding on a scooter,” he said.
“It’s fine if they [the media] want to keep doing it; they are all polite and don’t intrude on our personal space. We have a job to do, they have a job to do.”
England trail 1-0 in the five-Test series and will be desperate to level the contest under lights in the second Test
READ: Ollie Pope reacts to England players’ e-scooter incident