There were two acts at play as Trevor Bayliss stood in front of a bank of microphones and cameras at a tiny club ground in south Perth swatting flies out of his face.

Firstly, the England coach was trying to keep a grip on England’s rapidly disintegrating Ashes tour. Secondly he was attempting to prove to executives from the England & Wales Cricket Board back in London that he was in control of the situation as they fret about sponsorship negotiations being put at risk and damage to the game’s reputation caused by Ben Stokes’ arrest and the recent Jonny Bairstow ‘headbutt’ episode.

Ben Duckett is facing the prospect of being sent home in disgrace from a Lions tour for pouring a drink over the head of James Anderson on Thursday night but what annoys Bayliss the most is that the first time he lifts the players’ curfew they betray his trust by getting involved in a silly incident. After a quiz at the team hotel, organised by Gary Ballance on Thursday night, ten members of the Ashes squad joined Lions players in the Avenue bar in Perth drinking until after midnight.

England felt they had to act publicly fearing that if they tried to suppress the story a member of the public who had been at the bar could post a damaging video on social media or go to one of the Australian newspapers which would gleefully splash on the story.