Ben Stokes provided a strong indication on Saturday that retirement is not on his mind by netting at Chester-le-Street as England received another jolt ahead of the second Test against New Zealand.
England captain Stokes was overlooked in selection for Wednesday’s match at The Oval, along with Gus Atkinson, with an investigation into their breaking of a team curfew at the end of the 115-run win at Lord’s ongoing.
Stokes, 35, was understood to be weighing up his future in the immediate aftermath of the early hours incident on Monday morning at the Rex Rooms nightclub in Chelsea when a member of the ECB’s security staff in attendance with them was struck by Saracens academy player Totoa Auvaa following a disagreement over table arrangements in a VIP area.
But as he practised alongside his Durham team-mates ahead of the second day of the County Championship fixture with Derbyshire, Ollie Robinson emerged as another potential absentee this week.Ben Stokes provided a strong indication on Saturday that retirement is not on his mind by netting at Chester-le-Street as England received another jolt ahead of the second Test against New Zealand.
Robinson celebrated ending a two-year international exile by claiming the man-of-the-match award at Lord’s, but was dispatched for a scan on the knee he injured while training with Sussex on Friday.
A pensive Ben Stokes pictured in County Durham on Thursday, three days after the infamous night out that saw him dropped for the second Test
The uncapped Henry Crocombe, Robinson’s Sussex team-mate, has been called up as cover.
The ECB suggested that the medical check was precautionary but should Robinson – who took seven for 77 against the Black Caps last week – be ruled out for the second of a three-match series, it would mean only Josh Tongue of last week’s seam attack remains in the XI.
Stokes was back in the north east, batting in the nets with his former captain Dale Benkenstein, who is now back at Durham working with the team’s batsmen, and then bowling in the middle before play. England new boy Emilio Gay was also present.
On Friday, Surrey’s Atkinson joined up with Jofra Archer at Hove, to have a session with England’s elite bowling coach Troy Cooley in attendance.
Despite probes by the ECB and Cricket Regulator running concurrently, Stokes and Atkinson are permitted to play domestic cricket, throwing up the chance that they face Northamptonshire and Glamorgan respectively next Friday.
Seamer Henry Crocombe has been called up as cover for Sussex team-mate Ollie Robinson
On Thursday, England’s men’s director of cricket Rob Key said that Stokes had gone through a full range of emotions since news broke of his team protocol violation.
Getting back into his training gear so soon suggests any hint of packing up altogether has been scotched, although Durham coach Ryan Campbell offered a cautionary note about his participation for the Division Two leaders while the second Test is being contested 300 miles south.
Campbell told Daily Mail Sport: ‘No decision has been made yet. That will be up to the ECB and Ben.’
When Key was asked at the Lord’s press conference if he expected Stokes to play international cricket again, he said he did not see why not.
However, he stopped short of backing the all-rounder remaining as Test captain.
‘We’ve just got to let that play out, to be honest,’ he said. ‘The decision is about what’s best for the team and what’s best for Ben as well. It’s not just about what’s happened on Sunday night. It’s about what is the best thing moving forward, and that’s where we need the time, because that’s a big decision.’
Asked whether his words meant he wouldn’t sack Stokes, Key replied: ‘I’m not saying that.’
