Cricket: England players sorry for inappropriate celebrations

England's Kevin Pietersen is embraced as he clutches the replica Ashes urn. England won the series 3-0. Photo / AP

England's cricketers have issued an apology for any offence caused during their celebrations of their Ashes series win over Australia at the Oval on Sunday.

The statement, released on the England and Wales Cricket Board's website, followed allegations that England players urinated on the pitch hours after the series had ended on Sunday night in a 3-0 win for the home side.

"The England cricket team would like to state that during our celebrations after winning the Ashes at no time was there any intention to disrespect Surrey CCC, the Oval or anyone else involved in the game we love,'' the statement on www.ecb.co.uk read.

"As a team we pride ourselves on respecting all things cricket including the opposition and the grounds we play at. We got carried away amongst the euphoria of winning such a prestigious series and accept that some of our behaviour was inappropriate.

"If that has caused any offence to anyone we apologise for that and want to reassure people that it was a simple error of judgment more than anything else.''

The allegations arose following eye-witness accounts from Australian journalists, who were still in the ground while England celebrated their win.

England Twenty20 captain Stuart Broad, one of the players said to be involved, spoke to reporters Wednesday ahead of Thursday's first Twenty20 international against Australia in Southampton.

Asked who had decided to release the statement, he said: "The whole England side, all the guys thought that a statement would put an end to it and I think it has.''

When Broad was questioned further about the incident, an England spokeswoman said: "We've issued the apology and we've got nothing more to say on that.''

Reports have since indicated the ECB has launched an investigation into the matter after being contacted by Surrey chief executive Richard Gould.

Sports minister Hugh Robertson has even been drawn in to making a comment, telling the Daily Telegraph: "If it happened, it's not good behaviour.''

Off-spinner Graeme Swann appeared to confirm the story when writing in Tuesday's Sun newspaper, but attempted to play it down.

"We did go out to the middle of the pitch, all the lads, drinking beers, singing a few songs and enjoying each other's company,'' he wrote.

"I think the call of nature might have come once or twice but it was nothing untoward.

"It was midnight, a private celebration in the middle of the pitch and the ground was dark.''

Earlier this month, Sussex released Monty Panesar after the England spinner was ejected from a nightclub in Brighton and then urinated in public.

The 31-year-old was a member of the England squad that drew the third Test at Old Trafford to retain the urn, although he was not selected in the XI that took the field in Manchester, and has since left Sussex to join Essex on loan.

- AFP