Pacer Brydon Carse Returns to England Lions After Controversy, National Team Door May Open

Pacer Brydon Carse now has a chance to return to the England national team before the upcoming Test series against South Africa. Selectors have named the pacer in the announced 15-member England Lions squad.

Regular Test pacer Josh Tongue will not be able to play the first Test of the series in order to be with his pregnant wife. As Carse can be considered for the main Test squad as his alternative, this Lions tour may open the door to the national team for him.

In August, a video of Carse in handcuffs outside a Derby nightclub spread on social media and sparked discussion. Local police said he had been detained but was later released. Derbyshire Police ended its investigation, but professional cricket's oversight body, the Cricket Regulator, has brought a formal charge of breaching the code of conduct against him, the final verdict on which has not yet been published.

Since that incident Carse had not been called up to any England national team. But with no ban in place, he played regularly for Durham in county and domestic cricket and, under the rules, remained eligible for national team selection. The England and Wales Cricket Board's explanation was that, in the mental situation that had arisen, the pacer needed some time away from the extra pressure of international cricket.

After the squad was announced on Monday, England selector Marcus North said that, having come through the whole situation, Carse is now in the mental state to return to the national team environment. He said the time had been quite hard for Carse and that taking the pressure of international cricket at that time would not have been favourable for him or for anyone at the board. After long discussion, with the situation now favourable, the team management has considered the Lions side the best stage for his return to the field and his comeback to international cricket.