England captain Ben Stokes has been seen training with Durham following his exclusion from the squad for the upcoming second Test against New Zealand.
The all-rounder was deemed unavailable for selection for the match at the Kia Oval, which commences on Wednesday, after breaching the team’s midnight curfew in the wake of their first Test victory last weekend.
Stokes, along with teammate Gus Atkinson, became embroiled in an incident involving a Saracens rugby player at a London nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning.
Atkinson has also been stood down from the squad as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) investigates the matter, with an independent inquiry being conducted by the Cricket Regulator.
In the interim, Stokes has returned to his county ground, practising at the Riverside during the second day of Durham’s County Championship Division Two fixture against Derbyshire. The 35-year-old bowled in the middle before play commenced and later engaged in a batting session in the nets.
This controversy follows a challenging winter tour of Australia, which was similarly overshadowed by off-field issues. Former skipper Joe Root is set to take over as interim captain for the second Test after getting the nod over vice-captain Harry Brook.
Meanwhile, Henry Crocombe has been drafted into the England squad as cover for Ollie Robinson.
The uncapped Sussex seamer received the call-up after his county teammate Robinson reported knee soreness following a training session on Friday and is scheduled for a precautionary scan on Saturday afternoon.
Crocombe, 24, recently impressed for England Lions, securing four wickets in the first innings of the unofficial Test against South Africa A in early May.
The vacancy in the fast-bowling department had partly arisen due to the absence of both Stokes and Atkinson.
Robinson won the player of the match award in the first Test after taking five wickets in New Zealand’s first innings on his return to the England side.
His contribution helped England secure a 115-run victory, and the hosts will hope his fitness setback is only a minor one as they look to wrap up a series win in the capital next week.
