STOKES HEADS DOWN UNDER

(but not to the Ashes)

THE Ashes took an extraordinary twist last night when Ben Stokes was spotted at Heathrow Airport heading off to play cricket — but it is not yet with England.

Social media was ablaze when Stokes was spotted with all his cricket equipment heading for a plane in London but it quickly became apparent that this was not an unlikely dash to Australia.

Stokes was instead heading to his native New Zealand to see family and step up his recovery from the broken hand he sustained in the infamous incident in a Bristol

Rebel yell: Ben Stokes, pictured on Twitter with all his kit at Heathrow

FOR ALL BREAKING SPORTS NEWS VISIT dailymail.co.uk/ sport bar that led to him being suspended. It is thought Stokes will practise in Christchurch, where his parents still live, and hopes to play cricket for Canterbury as he aims to be ready should he get clearance to join England on a tour that is rapidly...