England and Durham fast bowler Brydon Carse has accepted full responsibility for his actions after being banned for three months for betting violations.
The 28-year-old, who was called into the World Cup squad six months ago, was given a 16-month sanction – 13 months of which was suspended – following an anti-corruption investigation by the Cricket Regulator.
Carse, who signed an England central contract in October, accepted the charges of placing 303 bets on various cricket matches between 2017 and 2019, though not on games in which he was playing.
He will be suspended immediately from playing in any cricket until August 28 but, provided he does not commit any further anti-corruption offences over the next two years, will not face any further penalties.
“While these bets were several years ago, that is no excuse and I take full responsibility for my actions,” Carse said in a statement.
“I would like to thank the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board), Durham and the PCA (Professional Cricketers’ Association) for their support during this difficult time for me.
“I will be working hard in the next 12 weeks to ensure that I repay that support on the field when I am able to return to playing.”
Carse co-operated fully with the Cricket Regulator, which noted he had “demonstrated significant remorse for his actions”, with other “significant mitigating factors” considered by the regulator and the Cricket Discipline Commission when determining the sanction.
It was also stated there was no evidence to suggest any wider integrity concerns from Carse’s actions.
The Cricket Regulator’s interim director Dave Lewis said: “The Cricket Regulator takes any breach of integrity or misconduct rules seriously and I would encourage any participant, from within the professional game, who has gambled on cricket to come forward and not wait to be discovered.
“We also encourage any participant struggling with any welfare concerns to seek assistance from the PCA or other trusted professional source.”
Durham are supporting Brydon, who will still be allowed to train with the team but whose ban rules him out of any chance of receiving a call-up to England’s Test team this year.
An ECB spokesperson said: “We take these matters extremely seriously and do not condone any form of anti-corruption breach in cricket.
“We support the Cricket Regulator’s decision and their consideration of the mitigating factors in Brydon’s case. He has co-operated and shown remorse for his actions.
“We are satisfied that Brydon has shown growth in the five years since this breach and has demonstrated a greater understanding of his responsibilities.
“We are hopeful that his case can serve as an educational example for other cricketers.”
