Ben Duckett exposes James Anderson's role in infamous drink-throwing incident that led to his axing

England National Cricket Team opener Ben Duckett has finally opened up about the 'pouring a drink over James Anderson' incident during the 2017-18 Ashes. He revealed that it was the fast bowler who threw the drink at him first and then later told him to do the same.

The infamous incident between Ben Duckett and James Anderson during the Ashes 2017-18 in Australia was one of the major highlights of the series. Following the entire incident, the left-hander was sent back home due to the indiscretion and was even handed a fine and suspension from the ECB.

Ahead of the third Test in Perth, the incident took place, and the England National Cricket Team were already under a lot of scanner due to their off-field antics. With Ben Duckett pouring the drink on James Anderson's head in a bar, it also gained a massive limelight, and the batter was sent back home.

Jimmy threw a drink on me, but no one knows about that - Ben Duckett

Now, seven years later, Duckett finally broke silence on the incident, saying that James Anderson poured a drink on him first, and when the pacer asked him to return the favor, ECB's security guard saw him. He mentioned that he gelled with the pacer after that, but the story took the limelight in the media. Speaking on the Final Word podcast, he explained:

"Jimmy threw a drink on me, but no one knows about that. And then said, 'oh, we're just messing around. You can just lob one on my head. That's fine.' Genuinely. So then I just poured one on his head and the security guard saw me from the ECB, who looks after us, and it filtered back.

"That was kind of basically the story. We carried on the rest of the night together, getting on well. That's the story that's got blown up. Then, when things start getting out in the media and everyone's saying all this stuff, everyone believes that like that. And as soon as a story or a headline's out there, 'well that's what happened then'."

People didn't really want to hear me - Ben Duckett

Duckett further mentioned that being the young player in the team who was trying to get into the team, he couldn't clear himself. He said that he couldn't say anything against Anderson and even people weren't ready to listen to him. He elaborated:

"But then you can't really come out and say what I've just said because I'm a young lad trying to break into the England team. It's one of the best ever England players, you know? And people didn't really want to hear me."

It was actually a really, really tough time - Ben Duckett

Ben Duckett further mentioned that it was a tough time for him as he was just 22 years old and he felt lonely as he wasn't allowed to train or even play. While elaborating further on the same, he said:

"It was actually a really, really tough time. People look back and it's probably funny and stuff like that. But when you're in Australia and you're kind of being told you can't go to training, you can't play - it's a lonely place for a 22-year-old.

"And being in Australia, you're not getting much sympathy from anyone out there, are you? But yeah, it was one of those things where… it feels like your world's ending. The time difference, you're not speaking to family much. The lads around me in that group at the time were amazing."

Ben Duckett made a dominating comeback to the England team in 2022. Since then Only Joe Root (2250) has more than his 1980 runs as an opener at a strike rate of 88.55, with four centuries.