Stokes claims cricket has drinking culture, not just England
Ben Stokes defends his former teammates by saying the sport of cricket as a whole has an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.
Former England cricket captain Ben Stokes has dismissed allegations that his team was plagued by a drinking problem, asserting instead that cricket as a sport has a lasting relationship with alcohol. In a recent podcast with former teammate Stuart Broad, Stokes emphasized that while the English team faced off-field alcohol-related incidents over the past year, the issue of alcohol consumption in cricket is deeply ingrained and has not evolved with the sport's increasing professionalism.
Stokes pointed out that alcohol's role within cricket is a constant, appearing in club cricket and extending to the highest levels of the game. He recounted his own history with alcohol, including an 2017 arrest following a street brawl, and noted the persistent nature of this relationship with alcohol throughout cricket's history.
Stokes's comments echo similar stories from cricket's past, such as Australian cricketer David Boon's infamous 1989 incident of consuming 52 beers on a flight to the UK ahead of the Ashes series. Boon has since expressed regret for his actions. Stokes's stance suggests that while individual players may struggle with alcohol, the underlying issue lies in the broader cultural connection between cricket and alcohol.
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