Stokes could miss rest of Test series
ENGLAND are preparing for the possibility that Ben Stokes could miss the rest of the Test summer — even if he is found not guilty of affray this week at Bristol Crown Court. Whatever the verdict, Stokes is all but certain to miss the third Test against India, starting at Trent Bridge on Saturday. The jury may not deliver their decision until the middle of the week, leaving little time for the Cricket Discipline Commission, who are independent of the ECB, to conduct their own hearing. Even if there was enough time before the third Test for the CDC to rule on the future of both Stokes and Alex Hales, who was with his team-mate at the time of the late-night fracas in Bristol city centre last September but was not charged by police, the ECB may decide to keep Stokes out of the spotlight should he be found not guilty. That could extend to the end of the five-Test series with India, which concludes on September 11 at the Oval, if the CDC decide that English cricket will suffer reputational damage if Stokes is selected. A cooling-off period might then free him up to go on the winter tours to Sri Lanka, or — if that’s considered too soon — to the West Indies in the new year. That scenario looks less alarming following Chris Woakes’ impressive return to Test cricket. Throw in the presence in the squad of Moeen Ali, plus the progress of Surrey’s Sam Curran, and England suddenly look blessed in the all-round department. A guilty verdict, of course, would make England’s decision for them.