Police Drop Assault Investigation of Brydon Carse

England fast bowler Brydon Carse faced no further action from the police following a dropped investigation into an alleged assault in Derby last month. Footage showing Carse in handcuffs surrounded by police surfaced on social media, dated Sunday, 23 August. The incident occurred during the early hours of that day, leading to the arrest of the 31-year-old on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly; however, he was later de-arrested.

Later that same week, after Carse was removed from the England squad for the second Test against Pakistan, Derbyshire Police confirmed they were investigating allegations of assault. A police statement released on Friday noted, "An investigation into reports of an assault in Derby city centre has been closed. Officers attended Molly Malones in The Wardwick, Derby, in the early hours of Sunday, 23 August. A man was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly and was then de-arrested after his details were taken by officers."

With the police investigation concluded, Carse now faces an inquiry from the Cricket Regulator, which had yet to comment on the matter. Both the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Carse were approached for comments regarding the situation. The incident added to a series of late-night alcohol-related controversies affecting the England men's cricket team over the past year.

After Carse’s removal from the second Test squad, Test captain Joe Root expressed he was "hacked off" and disclosed he had communicated with his team to convey his feelings about the matter. Despite these issues, Carse continued playing for his county Durham; however, he was not included in the England squads for the third Test against Pakistan or the white-ball series against Sri Lanka.

The ECB confirmed Carse's availability for selection following his exclusion from the Sri Lanka series, stating, "Whilst Brydon was available for selection, he has not been picked for the Sri Lanka series squad. Given recent events, we feel it is important for him to work through the issues that led to the Derby incident and take time for a proper reset. This decision does not prejudge the outcome of any investigation."

Earlier in the week, England white-ball coach Brendon McCullum noted that Carse needs to "get his house in order" before returning to international cricket. Carse also missed Durham’s game against Worcestershire this week, with the county citing he was "unwell."