Three England cricketers risk police action in Australia

BRISBANE: Three England men's cricketers, including Test captain Ben Stokes, have come under the risk of police action after riding e-scooters here without helmets.

The touring side reached here on Wednesday after an agonising eight-wicket defeat in the Ashes opener in Perth, which concluded in just under two days, leaving a massive gap between the commencement of the second fixture, scheduled for December 4.

As a result, three England players – captain Stokes, pacer Mark Wood and wicketkeeper batter Jamie Smith – strolled through the streets of Brisbane to explore the city, commuting through e-scooters.

However, the trio breached Queensland's legal requirement as they were pictured riding e-scooters without wearing protective headgear. Notably, Smith's scooter even had a helmet attached to it.

In the pictures, Wood was seen wearing heavy protective strapping on his left knee as he is suffering from discomfort after bowling just 11 overs in the series opener in Perth and has already been ruled out of the second Test as a precautionary measure.

For the unversed, Section 256A(1) of Queensland's Road Rules states that riders without a helmet can be slapped with a fine of up to 166 Australian dollars.

Interestingly, England players have risked the wrath of the Australian authorities in the past as well.

Legendary batter Kevin Pietersen was fined A$239 for speeding on the outskirts of Melbourne following their historic victory over the home side during the 2010-11 tour.

Seven years later, former cricketer and renowned commentator Jonathan Agnew was penalised for jaywalking in Adelaide.

"Booked for walking across a deserted street at 0045. Adelaide! I used to love you! How sad," Agnew had posted on his social media handle, adding, "there were four officers. Rude and offensive."