"Curfews are pretty useless" says Aussie coach Darren Lehmann

Following a defeat in the Ashes opener, England head coach Andrew Strauss imposed his players with a curfew post midnight. Strauss was prompted to take the decision after Jonny Bairstow’s bizarre clash of heads with Australia’s Cameron Bancroft in a bar four weeks ago. The news of the incident that happened in a Perth bar later last month, however only came to light over the weekend. And it came with sensitivity within the England camp.

The team has been facing criticism regarding their off-field behaviour, especially after the suspension of their star all-rounder Ben Stokes, who is facing a police inquiry after he got in a brawl in a Bristol nightclub in September. Although the wicketkeeper-batsman has escaped without facing any disciplinary proceedings, Joe Root’s tourists have now been served with a curfew. The management had previously been reluctant to take such action for fear of suffocating the squad on a long tour.

However, on the contrary, Australia’s head coach Darren Lehmann has different views. The veteran said that he can’t envisage ever slapping a curfew on his players, who were “grown men”. Speaking to Melbourne’s SEN radio station, Lehmann revealed it is not something he would consider doing.

“We wouldn’t have curfews but that’s our decision and that (having them) is theirs. We have faith in the blokes to do the right thing. They’re grown men, they’re adults.”

He believes if someone has decided they’re going to go out and do irresponsible things, they will do it anyway. So the idea to impose a curfew makes little sense to him

“If someone is determined to get out and do silly things they’re probably going to do it whether there’s a curfew or not. Curfews are pretty useless really. If you treat people like adults, most of them will behave like adults. Those who don’t probably don’t last very long,” Lehmann said.