A WORCESTERSHIRE county cricketer was nearly three times the drink-drive limit and not wearing a crash helmet when he fell off his moped.

Vice-captain Gareth Batty admitted drink-driving during a moment of “stupidity” when he appeared before magistrates in Worcester yesterday.

Batty, of Bridges Stone, Alfrick, near Malvern, had denied the charge but a change of heart following new police evidence made him alter his plea.

The off-spinner and former England international was banned from driving for two years, fined £800 and ordered to pay £200 costs for stalling the case.

The court heard how Batty fell off his moped on the A4103 Bransford Road in Worcester at 2am on July 17 last year as he tried to ride home.

He was wearing no helmet because he had left it in a friend’s car at Worcestershire County Cricket Club in New Road following a wine tasting evening.

David Martin, prosecuting, said: “When police arrived they found that Batty had fallen off his moped and it appeared to police that he was under the influence of alcohol and they could smell intoxicants on his breath.”

Batty initially claimed he had only had two glasses of wine and a bottle of Budweiser, but a breath test gave the lowest alcohol reading as 91mcg in 100ml of breath – the legal limit is 35mcg while a higher reading recorded 101mcg in 100ml of breath.

A police expert said that either the machine was faulty or that Batty had been “mistaken” about how much he had had to drink.

Tests revealed that the machine was working properly and Batty opted to plead guilty rather than face trial.

The expert also said the reading would have been “zero” if Batty had drunk as little as he said because the alcohol would have left his system by then.

Batty had already been disqualified from driving in April as a totter after he was caught talking on his mobile phone while driving.

Batty, speaking exclusively to your Worcester News after the trial, said the incident was a “huge regret”.

He said: “It was a year ago and it dragged on so long. I apologise to family and friends and to the club. The last thing I wanted was the club to be mentioned or my affiliation with them dragged into it in any shape or form.

“There’s no way this will ever happen again. It was an act of stupidity. The club has been excellent in every way through this.

“They knew I was pretty cut up and regretful as soon as it happened. It’s something I will regret forever.”

Batty also indicated he would complete an alcohol education scheme, which will cut the length of his ban by 25 per cent but must be finished within the next 16 months.

Don Rogers, defending, said Batty would never have got into a car and driven under the influence of alcohol.

In September, Batty was reprimanded by magistrates after turning up late to court claiming he had a work commitment.