England have remembered ben stokes And Gus Atkinson in their squad for the third and final Test against new zealand At Trent Bridge, Stokes is also set to resume captaincy after both players missed the previous match due to disciplinary reasons.
ECB clears Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson of violent conduct but issues written warning
The pair were unavailable for selection for the second Test following an incident in a London nightclub following England’s victory in the series opener. However, after an internal review and disciplinary hearing England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Both players were cleared of violent conduct, while still issued written warnings for violations of team conduct standards.
The governing body confirmed that its investigation found no evidence linking Stokes to any physical altercation during the nightclub incident. According to the ECB, the England captain neither participated nor witnessed those incidents.
The board also said Atkinson was found to be the victim of unprovoked attacks and did not retaliate during any of the incidents. Despite those findings, both cricketers were deemed to have fallen short of contractual expectations, which require England players to maintain the highest standards of behavior and protect the national team’s image.
As a result, the sanctions imposed on both included written warnings and exclusion from selection for the second Test, a punishment they have now served before returning to the national system. Their availability was expected after both players withdrew from county commitments ahead of the Trent Bridge clash, suggesting a return was likely once the disciplinary process was concluded.
Brendon McCullum supports Stokes and is looking forward to the conclusion of the series
England head coach Brendon McCullum publicly supported Stokes throughout the episode, explaining that although the actions surrounding the incident were disappointing, it was important to separate the individual from the situation. McCullum revealed that he remained in regular contact with Stokes to offer support during the investigation and stressed the importance of allowing the official process to take its course before reaching any conclusions.
Looking ahead to the upcoming third Test, the coach said he is keen to move forward and focus on securing a series win against a strong New Zealand team. He acknowledged that the previous week had been challenging for many involved, but believed that finishing the series on a high would be a significant achievement.
After the defeat in the second Test at the Oval, England has also made changes in its team. youth James Rev And sonny baker Whereas, has been left Henry Crocombewhich were prepared as covers ollie robinsonhas also been abandoned. wicketkeeper-batsman jamie smithJoe, who missed the last Test while on paternity leave, is expected to make a comeback in the playing eleven and get the gloves back.