England director of cricket Rob Key believes Brydon Carse can play for England again, despite an ongoing investigation into an incident outside a Derby nightclub in August. Carse was arrested then de-arrested, with Derbyshire Police subsequently taking no action over allegations of an assault. The pace bowler has since been charged by the Cricket Regulator with breaching England and Wales Cricket Board professional conduct rules.
The 31-year-old is among 39 players named in England's updated list of contracted players, announced on Monday. His two-year deal runs until the autumn of 2027. Carse is available for selection but has not been part of a squad since the Derby incident, as he takes time away from international cricket.
Asked whether he could see the Durham man playing for England again, Key told the Test Match Special podcast: "Yeah, I can do, depending what happens with the outcome of that [the Regulator charge]." He added: "You don't get in these jobs to sit on calls about all the things that have happened off the field over the last bit. As far as Brydon Carse is concerned, we'll find out what happens in the near future, and there's a chance he can come back and play for England."
England also confirmed new backroom teams under Test head coach Stephen Fleming and white-ball counterpart Brendon McCullum. Of the 39 players, 30 have full central contracts and nine are on development contracts. Eleven players, including Test captain Joe Root and white-ball captain Harry Brook, received two-year contracts, while uncapped pace bowler Henry Crocombe also secured one in an unprecedented move.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing