Headbutt may bring booze ban for England

England coach Trevor Bayliss says he can understand why people think his team have a boozy culture after Jonny Bairstow headbutted Australia's Cameron Bancroft.

Jonny Bairstow and Cameron Bancroft.

A physical altercation between England's Jonny Bairstow and Cameron Bancroft is under investigation. (AAP)

England coach Trevor Bayliss says he can understand why people think his team have a boozy culture after Jonny Bairstow's alcohol-fuelled altercation with Australia's Cameron Bancroft.

Rookie Test opener Bancroft confirmed on Monday he had been headbutted by Bairstow in a Perth bar in early November, although the keeper escaped sanction following an England Cricket Board investigation.

But Bayliss said he would consider booze bans and tighter curfews to ensure there was no more "dumb and stupid" behaviour on the Ashes tour.

The Engand mentor conceded it was a bad look after the Ben Stokes controversy.

"When you are in the spotlight like this you can understand why that is said about a team like this," Bayliss said of England's perceived boozy team culture.

"Most people like going out and having a couple of quiet ones but we have got to be careful that we don't do anything stupid.

"We have to be smarter. If that means not having anything to drink then so be it."

The headbutt incident occurred before England's first tour match on November 2 but didn't come to light until Australian players were heard on stump mikes sledging Bairstow during the first Ashes Test in Brisbane on Sunday.

Australian vice-captain David Warner could be heard saying "you shouldn't headbutt our mates".

Test debutant Bancroft confirmed the incident after Australia's 10-wicket win in the Ashes opener in Brisbane.

"We got into a very amicable conversation with Jonny and ... yeah, he just greeted me with a headbutt, kind of thing," Bancroft said.

"There was certainly no malice in his action and we continued on having a very good conversation for the rest of the evening."

Yet Bayliss insisted there was no headbutt.

"There was some contact but not a headbutt - there is a big difference," he said.

Star allrounder Stokes is sweating on a police investigation into a Bristol nightclub brawl in September that will determine whether he can play in the five-Test series.

Bairstow was also one of three players fined and given a formal warning for their behaviour on the same night of the Bristol incident.

Bayliss flagged the prospect of an Ashes curfew following the Stokes fracas but decided to give his players free rein.

That may all change after the latest controversy, despite Bairstow's insistence there was no malice in the incident.

England team insiders claimed the keeper was a "rugby man" and part of their culture was an odd habit of bumping heads after someone buys them a drink or as a greeting.

The wicketkeeper addressed the media after the first Test but did not take questions.

"Cameron and I enjoyed the evening and continued to do so (after the incident)," Bairstow said.

"There was no intent or malice...hopefully we can now swipe this underneath the table and continue what should be a fantastic and exciting series."

Asked if he hoped the England team would learn from the latest incident, Bayliss said: "That's what I thought after Bristol as well.

"They would be extra dumb and stupid if they didn't, that's for sure."


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Source: AAP



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