Cricket star Duckett caught doing 106mph in Northants...but ban reduced as he couldn't get to away games

Cricket star Ben Duckett was clocked at 106mph on the A43 in Northamptonshire - but has had his driving ban reduced so he is able to get to away matches next season.

The Nottinghamshire batsman was given six points at Northampton Magistrates' Court yesterday (Friday) after a mobile speed van between Towcester and Silverstone caught him way over the 70mph limit in his personalised Land Rover on November 10 last year.

With six points already on his licence it meant he was due to receive a six-month ban under the totting up procedure, like the majority of drivers would.

But the 26-year-old said county cricket's Covid rules - with players having to drive to matches on their own and not mixing with team-mates - would mean he wouldn't be able to get to away games when the red ball season starts in April 2021.

And after a lengthy deliberation magistrates agreed a six-month ban would cause him 'exceptional hardship', instead deciding to reduce his ban to three months.

Chairman of the bench Lynda Higgins warned him: "A driving licence, as I'm sure you're aware, is a privilege and not a right...your driving on this occasion clearly fell below standard."

The ban is Duckett's second in just over five years after a previous disqualification in 2015 for drink-driving.

The court heard Duckett, who learned his trade at Northamptonshire County Cricket Club and has four England test caps to his name, was not able to offer a reason for why he was speeding.

Mitigating, Graham Heathcote said: "He puts it down, quite simply, to a momentary error of judgement."

Mr Heathcote told magistrates about the key role Duckett played in his side's T20 title win in the summer and said he was on the fringes of being selected for England in white ball cricket.

Citing Ben Stokes and Alex Hales being dropped after a fight and positive drugs test respectively, he said that still being banned from driving in April could harm Duckett's selection chances.

International matches played since the pandemic have been in a bio-secure bubble, with players not able to leave their hotel.

Domestic county cricket matches had different arrangements with players not able to share cars, having to travel to matches on their own or with members of their household, unable to celebrate with high fives, changing in socially distanced rooms and sitting apart in the stands rather than a dressing room.

Arrangements for the 2021 season are "in a state of flux", the court heard, but are likely to remain the same.

The court heard Duckett, who also plays as a wicketkeeper, could walk to home games at Trent Bridge when the season starts in April if he was banned from driving.

But magistrates were told that if he were to still be disqualified in April he wouldn't be able to meet Covid rules for away fixtures and leave his side with two choices - to take him with another member of staff and put others at risk of infection, or to simply not select him.

Mr Heathcote said: "Ben Duckett is not from Nottingham. His family lives locally to here (Northampton). He lives by himself and does not have his own household.

"What that means is that he will fall foul of these travel arrangements if he was to be disqualified from driving when red ball cricket comes in April."

Duckett, of West Bridgford, Nottingham, said he was "pretty sure" his side would not pay for a driver and wouldn't be happy with him having a driver unless they were living with him.

He said: "It's probably out of their hands. If I am not able to get to the game it will have an impact on me."

Magistrates decided that cricket's Covid rules would mean a six-month ban would cause him exceptional hardship and reduced it to three months, meaning the ban will be over by the time the red ball season starts.

Duckett will have to pay a fine of £666, court costs of £85 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £66.