Cameraman ‘confronted’ as England’s dreadful Ashes tour hits a new low
A security guard for the England cricket team has snapped at an Aussie cameraman as their Ashes tour from hell hit a fresh low.
England’s tour from hell has taken another downward turn after a member of the team’s security detail appeared to shove a cameraman at Brisbane Airport on Saturday.
The Ashes have been an abject disaster to date for the tourists, with the first two Tests in Perth and Brisbane finishing well short of five days as Australia marched to a 2-0 series lead.
Watch The Ashes 2025/26 LIVE and ad-break free during play with FOX CRICKET on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
The third Test gets underway in Adelaide on December 17 and the Ashes urn will remain in Aussie hands for a fifth consecutive series already if England doesn’t find a way to turn around its dreadful form and win the Adelaide Oval stoush.
As first reported by CODE Sports, the Poms’ horror tour to date hit a fresh low as the squad travelled from Brisbane to Adelaide.
Watch the incident in the video player above
The team was walking through the airport terminal for its flight to South Australia when a security member took issue with cameraman Nick Carrigan from cricket host broadcaster Channel 7.
The security guard is seen extending his left arm and appearing to shove the cameraman as he filmed the squad.
The network has since aired the footage and it shows a stoush that began in the terminal before extending outside and even to Adelaide Airport.
“Out of my face mate, out of my face,” the guard says with a heavy English accent. “Out of my face.”
When Carrigan is heard asking the security personnel what he was doing, he replies: “You’re in my face mate, that’s what you’re doing.
“Don’t be clever mate. Don’t be clever.”
Carrigan replies: “What are you doing? Mate you’re assaulting me.”
Carrigan, who had also covered the team during its mid-tour break to Noosa, was interviewed on 7News.
“They were friendly with us (in Noosa) and this didn’t happen up there, so it was quite a shock when it happened,” he said.
“I understand he’s got a job to do, but yeah that was totally uncalled for.”
Photos from the moment show the team and the camera operator descending down an escalator right before the incident took place.
Channel 7 provided a statement to CODE defending the actions of cameraman Nick Carrigan.
“While conducting routine filming in a public space, the camera operator was physically confronted despite acting respectfully and professionally,’’ the statement read.
“The safety and wellbeing of our staff is paramount. This matter is being taken seriously and is now being managed through the appropriate channels.”
It is yet another black mark for the visitors, who have been criticised from all sides for their apparent lack of preparation for the series and their failure to take accountability for their form to date.
Rather than heading straight to Adelaide to prepare for a do-or-die Test match, the English squad instead headed to Noosa for a few days of down time, drinking beers and enjoying some fun in the Queensland sun.
The mid-series holiday on the Sunshine Coast was apparently an opportunity to mentally refresh and steel themselves to launch an unlikely bid to stay alive in the series.
After coach Brendon McCullum raised eyebrows by declaring his side “over prepared” for the second Test despite not playing a warm-up game, the Poms hit the beach in Noosa.
There was barely a shirt in sight as Ben Stokes and his team strolled around Noosa Main Beach and enjoyed a dip in the ocean, while Zak Crawley and the bowlers had a quiet beer on Tuesday.
The good times kept rolling on Wednesday, with England’s entire squad relaxing by playing a fun game of kickabout on the beach.
McCullum got in on the action, playing keep-ups with his players and having a swim in his boardies.
It’s hard to imagine McCullum’s Australian counterpart Andrew McDonald doing the same in the middle of an Ashes series, but each to their own.
Jofra Archer was still sporting his chunky gold chain and players including injured fast bowler Mark Wood were seen applying sunscreen on each other’s back as they looked to stay safe in the Australian sun.
The optics of the England team relaxing at the beach haven’t gone down well given the tourists have been heavily criticised for a lack of competitive practice matches on tour.
“I don’t think I’d be going to Noosa,’’ legendary commentator David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd told BBC Sport.
“I’m a bit old school, it’d be naughty boy nets. There are definite consequences to this. There always has been, there always will be.
“There will be consequences and those start with those in charge.”
Ex-England captain Nasser Hussain said he could not get his head around England spending time in Noosa instead of training or playing matches in the lead-up to Adelaide.
“I can’t understand England’s schedule for the week ahead,’’ he wrote in The Athletic.
“England will be going into the third Test without playing a single warm-up game against Australian opposition and that is beyond me.
“Stokes is not the first captain to come to Australia and struggle — and he won’t be the last.
“History tells you it’s a hugely difficult place to win and this England team are finding that out themselves in the toughest way imaginable.
“Stokes and McCullum have tried a different way of doing things, but it’s just not paying off at the moment.”
Originally published as Cameraman ‘confronted’ as England’s dreadful Ashes tour hits a new low
Join the conversation
Gillespie, Love, Law: Neser hopes to avoid club all cricketers dread
Read more
Cricketer banned in nude photo scandal
Read more