Ben Stokes was not involved in the altercation and Gus Atkinson was a victim, the ECB probe found
Ben Stokes will return to captain England in next week’s decisive Test against New Zealand after an investigation into a nightclub incident concluded he played no part in the altercation that left team-mate Gus Atkinson the victim of two “unprovoked attacks”.
Stokes and Atkinson are both back in the England squad for the third and final Rothesay Test in Nottingham after being omitted from the second match while the England and Wales Cricket Board carried out an investigation into events at a Chelsea nightclub on June 8.
The pair have each received written warnings for breaching conduct standards expected of England players, but neither has been fined and both are immediately available for selection.
The ECB’s findings determined that Stokes was not involved in the physical altercation involving Saracens rugby player Totoa Auvaa and was not present when the incidents occurred. Investigators also found that Atkinson was attacked on two separate occasions and did not retaliate.
The controversy has cast a shadow over England’s summer, particularly after New Zealand levelled the series at 1-1 with a crushing 253-run victory at The Oval. At one stage there were fears over Stokes’ future as captain, with speculation ranging from disciplinary action to the possibility of retirement.
However, the ECB’s conclusions appear to have brought the matter to a close.
A statement from the governing body said: “Stokes and Atkinson were found to have breached specific contractual obligations that require England players to at all times maintain the highest standards of conduct and act in the best interests of England cricket.
“In addition to not being considered for selection for the second Rothesay Test, they have both been given a written warning as to their conduct. It was also concluded that no blame should be attached to the players for violent conduct at the nightclub.
“Stokes was not involved in the altercation and did not witness either incident. The evidence the ECB has seen demonstrates that Atkinson was the victim of unprovoked attacks and did not retaliate on either occasion.”
The Press Association has reported that a separate investigation carried out by the independent Cricket Regulator also concluded there was no case to answer regarding any alleged provocation from the England players.
Saracens are also carrying out their own investigation.
Attention will now turn to Stokes’ return and his relationship with England head coach Brendon McCullum. The pair have formed one of the most influential partnerships in modern English cricket, although questions have been raised in recent months following a disappointing Ashes campaign.
McCullum admitted he was initially frustrated when informed of the incident but has consistently backed his skipper to return.
“Ben will be back and he’ll be captain. Everyone’s excited about that,” said McCullum.
“I’ve been speaking to Ben every day since the incident. I’m not going to divulge our conversations because they are confidential. But I look forward to seeing him in a few days.
“There’s mutual respect there. I anticipate we’ll be able to work together really well and I’m sure both of us still have the same vision for this team.
“Occasionally there are going to be mistakes made and you can’t walk past when standards have slipped or mistakes have been made. You address it and you try to move on.”
The incident has also prompted debate over England’s team rules, particularly after ECB managing director of men’s cricket Rob Key revealed that Atkinson claimed he was unaware a midnight curfew was in place following matches.
Key insisted details of the curfew had been communicated through the Team England Player Partnership and were well understood within the squad.