“Time for bed, thank you”: Police officer asks Joe Root and James Anderson to return to rooms after early-morning drinking bout

Joe Root and James Anderson: The English captain and veteran pacer will be investigated regarding an off-field incident.

England Test captain Joe Root and veteran pacer James Anderson were involved in an early-morning drinking session in the hotel where they were put up for the fifth Ashes 2021-22 Test against Australia in Hobart.

Root and Anderson were in company of Australia batter and Man of the Series Travis Head, wicket-keeper batter Alex Carey and spinner Nathan Lyon when police had to intervene following a complaint from fellow guests. The incident happened on Monday morning; a night after England lost the Hobart Test by 146 runs.

“Tasmania Police attended the Crowne Plaza Hobart on Monday morning after reports were made of intoxicated people in a function area. The guests were spoken to by police, just after 6:00am, and left the area when asked. No further action will be taken by police,” a police statement read.

Joe Root and James Anderson asked to return to rooms after early-morning drinking bout

Former England batter and current assistant coach Graham Thorpe has filmed the whole confrontation incident on his mobile phone. Published by the Sydney Morning Herald, the video comprises of a female police officer asking the players to return to their respective rooms.

“Too loud. You have obviously been asked to pack up, so we’ve been asked to come. Time for bed, thank you. They just want to pack up,” a police officer is head saying in the video.

Meanwhile, ECB (England Cricket Board) have launched an investigation into the matter revolving around two of their senior-most cricketers. It is noteworthy that the English contingent has apologized for the whole incident at Crown Plaza.

“During the early hours of Monday morning, members of the England and Australia men’s teams shared a drink in the team areas of the hotel in Hobart,” the ECB’s statement read.

“The hotel management received a noise complaint by a hotel guest, and as is commonplace in Australia, the local police attended the scene. The England party have apologised for any inconvenience caused. The ECB will investigate further. Until such times, we will make no further comment.”

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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