Flintoff fined after drunken boating incident
Several of England's players at the World Cup were fined for a "breach of team discipline" on Saturday and Andrew Flintoff reportedly had to be rescued after a late-night boating mishap
Cricinfo staff
18-Mar-2007
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The players were, a source said, fined for a late night drinking session at
the Rumours Nightclub near England's team hotel in St Lucia. They had been
out late ahead of their second Group clash against Canada on Sunday - a
match England must win if they are to qualify for the Super Eights. Fans who
witnessed events then contacted several British newspapers to tell them what
they'd seen.
The News
of the World reported Flintoff, the vice-captain, had been involved
in a separate incident of his own. Its back-page headline, "Sunk' n' Drunk -
Freddie fined after pedalo booze shame", topped a story saying Flintoff had
to be rescued at 4am after capsizing at sea.
The breach was reported to the England team management at breakfast on
Saturday and the decision to fine the players involved was taken at a
subsequent team meeting, which was attended by the whole squad and
management.
Walpole, who refused to name the players involved, the extent of
their fines, or the exact nature of the breach, said in a statement: "The
England team management today [Saturday] announced that a number of England
players had been fined by the head coach, Duncan Fletcher, after admitting
to a breach of team discipline last night."