Dropped England Test captain Stokes to turn out for Durham in County Championship
London, June 18
England Test captain Ben Stokes will make his return to competitive cricket for Durham after being named in their 15-member squad for the County Championship match against Northamptonshire beginning at Chester-le-Street near Durham on Friday.
Stokes, along with fast bowler Gus Atkinson, were left out of England's ongoing second Test against New Zealand at The Oval due to investigations pending into a nightclub incident in London. Both Stokes and Atkinson, however, have been cleared to feature in domestic cricket.
While seam-bowling all-rounder Stokes will line up for Durham at Chester‑le‑Street, Atkinson is expected to be part of Surrey's squad for their fixture against Glamorgan in Cardiff.
The duo breached England's midnight curfew while celebrating their 115-run victory over New Zealand in the first Test at Lord's and were present in the nightclub when a member of the team's security staff was struck by a Saracens rugby player.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the independent Cricket Regulator are conducting their inquiries. But concerns over Stokes' future surfaced in the immediate aftermath, with speculation about a possible retirement from international cricket.
Those fears were eased when Stokes, 35, returned to training with Durham, and is now set to play his third county match of the season. In Stokes' absence, Joe Root has taken charge as England's Test captain on a 'game by game' basis.
England's third Test against New Zealand begins at Trent Bridge next Thursday, which means clarity on the investigations and availability of Stokes and Atkinson will be required by Monday.
Durham squad: Colin Ackermann, Kasey Aldridge, David Bedingham, Graham Clark, Alex Lees, Ben McKinney, James Minto, Duanne Olivier, Callum Parkinson, Matthew Potts, Ben Raine, Will Rhodes, Luke Robinson, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes.
— IANS
Reader Comments
England's discipline needs tightening - how can the Test captain be out partying after a win? Root's captaincy is more reliable anyway. Hope Stokes learns from this, he's too talented to waste. 🤔
Interesting to see how this plays out. County cricket is the perfect platform for Stokes to get back in rhythm before the next Test. But the ECB investigation could still shake things up. Let's see what happens by Trent Bridge! 🔥
Stokes has always been a passionate player, but captaincy comes with responsibility. Good to see Durham giving him a chance to focus on cricket. Hope he reflects on his actions and comes back stronger. We need him in the Test side!
Honestly, Root deserves the captaincy permanently. His calm approach is refreshing. Stokes' behavior seems a bit immature for a national captain. At least he's back playing - Durham vs Northants should be a good watch!
ECB should take a firm stand - no one is above the team rules. But Stokes' return to county cricket is a positive sign. He's a match-winner, and England need him. Let's see if he can make amends with his performances. 💪
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