‘Cricketers need to understand right times to drink’Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Stewart returned to his role as director of men’s cricket at Surrey at the end of last year ByMatthew HenryBBC Sport JournalistPublished1 hour agoCricket does not have an alcohol problem but players “need to understand the time to have a drink and the time not to”, says former England captain Alec Stewart.Discussion around drinking dominated this winter’s Ashes series in Australia with the behaviour of England’s players heavily scrutinised during their 4-1 defeat in the Tests.The England and Wales Cricket Board investigated reports of players drinking excessively during a mid-series trip to Noosa, while white-ball captain Harry Brook was punched by a nightclub bouncer the night before a one-day match in New Zealand in November.
“Alcohol will not improve anyone’s performance so this is why the education is so important,” stated Stewart, currently director of cricket at Surrey.
“People aren’t going to just live like monks and be completely teetotal, but people need to understand the time to have a drink and the time not to.
“The higher level you are, the more scrutiny you’re under and therefore the sacrifices are greater and therefore be very selective in what you put into your body, whether that is food, whether that is drink or whatever.”
