They have concluded that nothing more serious took place than careless talk within the hearing of a freelance journalist. An England and Wales Cricket Board spokesman said yesterday: ``Nothing untoward occurred''.

``Hollioake and other members of the A team have been reminded of their responsibilities and obligations as English cricketers,'' he said. ``People can judge for themselves whether that amounts to a reprimand.''

Gooch, who managed the tour, said: ``Young single guys on tour with nothing to do are going to talk about all sorts of things, but they behaved throughout in an orderly way.''

Gooch was in the best place to judge the extent of any culpability on Hollioake's part. If there was any, he and Graveney might do the young man a favour by leaving him out of the one-day internationals against South Africa later this month. It would be a case of being cruel to be kind if he were taught this early in his career the consequences of indiscretion which are almost inevitable for a popular public figure.

The author of the article, who calls himself Sanjiv, covered the A tour at the expense of Vodafone, the sponsor of England teams. The ECB have made no secret of their annoyance that a journalist should have been paid by Vodafone to paint so unfavourable a picture of Hollioake and others. Lord MacLaurin of Knebworth is chairman both of the ECB and of Vodafone.