England captain Ben Stokes has had an awkward exchange with an Australian reporter ahead of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane.

Stokes and three teammates faced criticism earlier this week for riding e-scooters around the streets of Brisbane without helmets, a petty crime which attracts a fine of $166 in Queensland.

Queensland Police later dismissed any suggestion the cricketers would be fined, but that hasn’t relieved Stokes of the heat from Australian press for it.

“There’s been some criticism of yourself and some teammates not wearing helmets on e-scooters around Brisbane. Do you acknowledge that that was the wrong thing to do?” a reporter asked Stokes on Wednesday.

The England skipper flatly responded: “Next time we’re on a scooter, we will wear helmets.”

But that wasn’t the end of it.

“Do you think an apology is owed to Queenslanders?” Stokes was asked, to which he gave the exact same response: “Next time we’re on a scooter, we’ll wear helmets”.

The journalist had one more dig before England’s media manager stepped in.

“Are you not going to make any further comment about this, other than what you’ve just said?” she said.

“No, we’re going to move on,” the ECB official interjected with.

Earlier, Stokes said pap shots would not discourage his team from making sure they enjoy their time in Australia while they’re here.

“If they think it is going to stop us enjoying this country when we have time off then it is not going to do that,” he told the BBC.

“Australia is the best country to tour away from cricket. There are so many things to do.

“You can go out and about and see things that only Australia has to offer, great golf courses, coffee shops and easy places to have lunch.

“We are human. We need to enjoy countries when we get the opportunity because we live in England where it is miserable, freezing cold and dark at 4pm.”