Stokes cleared, ‘punished enough’

FORMER England captain Michael Vaughan claims Ben Stokes has brought cricket into disrepute but said the all-rounder has “suffered enough punishment” as he prepares for a return to Test cricket.

Shortly after being cleared of affray at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday, Stokes was added to a squad of 13 for the third Test against India at Trent Bridge. However, the England and Wales Cricket Board also confirmed a disciplinary investigation is set to reconvene into the behaviour of Stokes and his teammate Alex Hales on a night out in Bristol last September.

The Cricket Discipline Commission process, which has the remit to impose penalties including an unlimited fine or suspension and termination of registration, was halted 11 months ago while criminal proceedings took pre- cedence and will not resume imminently. While the outcome remains to be seen, Vaughan hopes Stokes, who was not able to play in the winter’s Ashes series, will be allowed to return his full focus to onfield matters once again.

“I believe he has suffered enough punishment already and the cricket disciplinary case against him should take into account the time he has already served after missing the five Tests and one-day series in Australia,” Vaughan wrote in his column for the Daily Telegraph.

“There is no question he brought the game into disrepute, but cricketers have few opportunities in their lives to play an Ashes series in Australia and missing that tour was a massive blow for Ben. There is no need to keep clobbering him with suspensions.

“I totally agree with Ben being added to the squad.”