Ballance warned by Moores after drunken night-out

With a dark cloud hanging over the second Test at Lord's after the spat between Jimmy Anderson and Ravindra Jadeja, England find themselves embroiled in fresh soup after a student website, Tab, released pictures of England No. 3 Gary Ballance in an inebriated state and without his shirt on at a local pub in Nottingham.

The 24-year-old was reported to have hit the pub Pandora's Box, and after having his share of drinks unabashedly proclaimed, 'I'm not a cricketer tonight. I'm just a drunken b#$&@*d. I'm absolutely f#&%*d'. The student website added that the top-order batsman was at the pub after the end of the first Test, and was in the company of team-mates James Anderson, Joe Root and Liam Plunkett.

The website also posted a number of pictures, taken by fans at the pub, which shows the cricketer in high spirits and posing for photograph with a drink in his hand and the shirt off his back.

Gary Ballance poses for photographs with fans at a pub called Pandora's Box. Pic courtesy TAB, UK. © Agencies
England coach, Peter Moores, speaking about the incident, said that no disciplinary action will be taken against the players as they had been released at the end of the first Test. He, however, served a stern reminder to the players to 'uphold the best possible image for England cricket'.

"I am aware that some of the England players were caught on camera relaxing after the conclusion of the recent Trent Bridge Test match," said Moores.

"As the players had been released at the end of the first Test and were not due to meet up to begin preparations for the second Test until Monday evening, and there were no suggestions of impropriety, there is no need for any disciplinary action. I will however be reminding all players of their responsibilities to uphold the best possible image for England cricket."