'Curfew not the answer - players need to pull together'
Wednesday 27 September 2017 15:24, UK
Sir Ian Botham has encouraged England all-rounder Ben Stokes to follow his example and join the "bat-cave club" to avoid potential future controversy.
Stokes has been included in England's 16-man squad for the Ashes tour of Australia despite sustaining a minor fracture in his right hand in an incident in Bristol that led to his arrest on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm.
The 26-year-old - who was released without charge pending further investigation - remains England's Test vice-captain but was ruled out of the final two ODIs against Windies.
During England's tour of Australia in 1986/87, Botham decided to avoid trouble by creating a "bat-cave", a hotel room where he could invite friends, rather than run the risk of a night out.
"We don't know all the details so we need to keep an open mind until we do but the one thing that comes out of this is that Ben needs to understand that he is probably the most talked about cricketer in world cricket at the moment," said Botham.
"He is a superstar of the game, and unfortunately wherever he goes he's got to get used to the fact that there will be people who want a piece of him - particularly this winter in Australia.
"He'll get in a taxi and the driver will want to have a go; he'll get into the hotel and someone else will have a go. Anywhere you go it is all cricket and they'll be into him.
"I'd suggest that he joins the bat-cave club and is selective - think about where you are going to go, when you're going to go and who you are going to go with. You cannot be going to places that leave you open to whatever abuse comes your way.
"For all we know he may be an innocent party in everything that has gone on; I hope that is the case but what he's got to do is start thinking 'how do I keep Ben Stokes out of this situation? You cannot be wandering the streets at 2.30am.'"
England coach Trevor Bayliss remains cautious, however, about imposing player curfews during the upcoming Ashes tour of Australia and Botham said to introduce one would be too zealous.
"These are grown-up men and it has gone pear-shaped here for whatever reason but everything is controllable - and it's down to the players to do that from within," said Botham.
"We used to have a system of discipline within the dressing room and you expect the other guys around you to say 'curb it, pull it in a little bit'. I'm surprised that hasn't happened and that maybe needs to happen - but I hope curfews don't happen.
"I got into a situation where I'd got into enough hot water and wanted to find a way to avoid that; I made a lot of friends abroad, went to some lovely houses for dinner, met people. You've just got to say 'I've had my fun but I can't get away with it anymore'."
