Oz team`s loyalties questioned after players celebrate Ashes win with Italian beer

Sydney: Several cricketers were pictured drinking the traditional Italian brew in the Aussie dressing room after the team`s Ashes triumph this week, leading some to question their national loyalty, according to reports.

According to News.com.au, the Australian rooms were once a place where VB and XXXX reigned supreme. However, only premium beer was on offer after the Ashes victory, the report said. Captain Michael Clarke sipped a Crown Lager, while batsman David Warner was snapped pouring a Peroni over Brad Haddin, the report added. Not a VB can was in sight, prompting Aussie personality and `lambassador` Sam Kekovich to say younger generations were losing their Australian edge, the report mentioned. Sales of classic Aussie beers are expected to shrink by 1.2 per cent by 2018, the only alcohol category to see a drop, according to an industry study by IBISWorld, the report further said. Peroni is one of the international beers produced and distributed in Australia by Carlton and United Breweries - one of the Australian cricket team`s major sponsors, according to the report.