England captain Ben Stokes will return to guide the Test side next week after a disciplinary investigation concluded he was not involved within the altercation that saw two “unprovoked attacks” on team-mate Gus Atkinson.
Stokes and Atkinson have received written conduct warnings, and England has recalled them to the squad for next Thursday’s decider against Latest Zealand in Nottingham.
The news arrived just hours after Latest Zealand squared the Rothesay Series 1-1 with a crushing 253-run win on the Kia Oval.
Matt Henry tore through England’s batting on the ultimate morning, taking six for 29 to seal victory for the visitors.
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PICTURE: Mike Egerton/PA
Warned
The ECB stood the pair down from England duty after an incident at a Chelsea nightspot within the early hours of June 8.
An altercation took place with Saracens rugby union player Totoa Auvaa.
Nonetheless, an England and Wales Cricket Board probe concluded that Atkinson was the topic of two separate attacks and didn’t retaliate.
A member of England’s security staff reportedly suffered an injury, but Stokes was not present throughout the physical scuffle.
The ECB has warned each players over their behaviour, which it says contravenes the terms of their employment.
Although, they each have avoided a effective and won’t miss any further cricket.
An independent Cricket Regulator conducted a parallel investigation.
It focused on the query of potential provocation and located that the England players had no case to reply.
A press release from the ECB read: “Stokes and Atkinson were found to have breached specific contractual obligations that require England players to in any respect times maintain the best standards of conduct and act in the perfect interests of England cricket.
“Along with not being considered for selection for the second Rothesay Test, they’ve each been given a written warning as to their conduct.
“It was also concluded that no blame must be attached to the players for violent conduct on the nightclub.
“Stokes was not involved within the altercation and didn’t witness either incident.
“The evidence the ECB has seen demonstrates that Atkinson was the victim of unprovoked attacks and didn’t retaliate on either occasion.”
PICTURE: Ben Whitley/PA
Chaotic episode
The developments end the formal a part of a chaotic episode that, at one stage, raised fears that Stokes might lose the captaincy and even announce his retirement.
But there are many thorny questions still to grapple with.
With England as a result of train in Nottingham on Tuesday, uncertainty lingers over the state of his relationship with head coach Brendon McCullum.
The duo were thick as thieves for the primary three years of their partnership but have needed to rebuff suggestions of a growing rift since an ill-fated Ashes tour over the winter.
McCullum said he was initially offended when hearing about Stokes and Atkinson’s late-night escapades.
He later repeated his “concern” and “worry” over the captain’s wellbeing.
PICTURE: Ben Whitley/PA
Move on
Those comments are understood to have been met with bafflement by the 35-year-old.
“Ben shall be back and he’ll be captain. Everyone’s enthusiastic about that,” McCullum said.
“I’ve been talking to Ben every single day because the incident. I’m not going to disclose our conversations because they’re confidential.
“But I stay up for seeing him in a number of days.
“There’s mutual respect there. I anticipate we’ll give you the option to work together rather well and I’m sure each of us still have the identical vision for this team.
“Occasionally there are going to be mistakes made and you’ll be able to’t walk past when standards have slipped or mistakes have been made.
“You address it and you are trying to maneuver on.”
PICTURE: Robbie Stephenson/PA
Details
Rob Key, the ECB’s managing director of men’s cricket, said last week that Atkinson claimed he didn’t know a midnight curfew was in operation after the completion of a game.
In response, Key said the Team England Player Partnership – representing those with central contracts – had communicated the small print. He added that players widely knew them.
Asked for his view, McCullum said: “Look, even when there’s ambiguity I feel we’ve sat here and talked concerning the curfew. Talked about standards.
“You’re not only representing yourself. You’re representing your loved ones, the fans, your country and also you’re being paid to do it.
“You’ve got to have certain standards it’s good to adhere to.
“Whilst there may not have been a tough blueprint potentially – I mean, like a tough factual [curfew] – everyone knew what was happening.”
READ MORE: Ben Stokes moves closer to England return after withdrawal from Durham duty
