England's Ashes tour has taken a further slide towards ignominy with news that Ben Duckett is facing a disciplinary investigation after an alcohol-related incident in Perth.
Duckett, who has played four Tests for England and is in Australia with the Lions, was due to play for an England XI in their warm-up match over the weekend. But, after details emerged of an incident on Thursday night, he was dropped from the side to play the Cricket Australia XI. His place was taken by Worcestershire's Joe Clarke.
While some of the details are unclear, it is understood that Duckett poured a drink over James Anderson, England's vice-captain on tour, during an evening out. There was no violence or involvement with anyone outside the England squads and no police have been or will be involved.
It is also understood that members of England's security team were with the players throughout the episode.
While such an incident might have been laughed off - or even brushed under the carpet - a generation or two ago (perhaps even six months ago) it is likely to be viewed extremely dimly in the current climate. Coming midway through a tour that that has been overshadowed by the police investigation into Ben Stokes and seen Jonny Bairstow accused of headbutting an opposition player, also in Perth, the England management have been at pains to let the players know that no semblance of poor behaviour would be tolerated. The fact that England are 2-0 down in the Ashes won't help, either.
As a result, it is entirely possible that Duckett faces being sent home early from the Lions tour. It also seems fair to presume that his future England selection chances will not be enhanced. As the ECB battles to restore the reputation of the national side, it will make no compromises with fringe players who its feels cannot be trusted to behave responsibly.
There will be knock-on effects for the rest of the squads, too. Not only could the investigation - which is being led by Andy Flower, the Lions coach, and Trevor Bayliss, the England coach - see other players dragged into the spotlight, but it will do nothing to convince the management that the recently imposed curfew is anything other than necessary. This incident occurred on the first day that the curfew had been relaxed.
Duckett is a vastly talented young cricketer but, aged 23, he is starting to build a reputation for the wrong reasons. In 2016 he became the first man ever to win the PCA's Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards simultaneously and he made his Test and ODI debuts in Bangladesh at the end of the year.
Previously, though, he lost the England Under-19s captaincy when he failed a fitness test, missed a Northants pre-season tour, in 2015, for similar reasons and appeared in court on a drink-driving charge.
This latest episode, while not serious in itself, will do nothing to shake the image of him as another talented youngster without the self-discipline to make the required sacrifices for a life in professional sport.