Ballance says embarrassment over topless night out has spurred him to be England's rock

Batsman Gary Ballance has said that the embarrassment over his topless night out after the end of the first Test against India at Trent Bridge, has spurred him to be the rock of England's top order.

It maybe recalled that Ballance was snapped without his shirt at a nightclub and shouting "I'm not a Test cricketer, I'm just a drunken b*****d!", as he celebrated five days of hard work.

But when pictures emerged of his antics on the eve of the second Test, a red-faced Ballance was worried about what his team-mates and parents would say, reports The Mirror.

Instead, Captain Alastair Cook, wicketkeeper Matt Prior and middle order batsman Joe Root took him out for dinner.

His parents on the other hand loved the story so much that they took a newspaper cutting home with them to Zimbabwe.

Recalling the sequence of events following the bar episode, Ballance, who will turn out for England in the fourth Test starting from today, said he was a bit nervous and embarrassed when he came to Lord's for the second Test.

Captain Cook and the other team mates, Balance said had not told him off, but appeared to give him a slap to say the episode must not be repeated, and that he should concentrate on what he was in the England squad for.