COURT & BOWLED
Finally Stokes gets a big chance to rebuild his cricket career as he jets off to join England mates in New Zealand
BEN STOKES will resume his England career, five months after a late-night incident froze him out of the Ashes.
After pleading not guilty to a charge of affray (above, outside court), the all-rounder can now join up with his team-mates in New Zealand and show what they have missed.
He will eventually have to attend trial at Bristol Crown Court, but he can miss the next court date on March 12, meaning he will also be clear to play in the Tests in New Zealand, too.
The 26-year-old will head out to Hamilton a couple of days before the rest of the one-day players currently back in the UK, such as Joe Root and Moeen Ali.
It will help Stokes get up to speed before the first of five ODIs, on February 25, followed by two Tests.
He will be waiting with interest for his trial date, though, with his £1.4million appointment in the IPL for the Rajasthan Royals following hot on the heels of the New Zealand tour.
There is even a chance the trial could take place after the English summer, which would leave the saga stretching on for a year.
But, on the pitch, it would improve England’s chances against Pakistan and India.
Stokes was so desperate to play his part in the Ashes that this will be the second flight he has taken to his birthplace this winter, after turning out for Canterbury, in the hope of an early return.
However, the ECB would not allow him to play while a decision was made whether to charge him for the incident that followed a one-day match in Bristol. Once he was charged, the ECB decided to allow him back into the fold, only for yesterday’s court date to leave him unable to take part in the T20 tournament against Australia and New Zealand. A third consecutive defeat – this time by 12 runs to New Zealand – means England’s chances of qualifying for the final are now out of their hands. They need the Kiwis to beat Australia on Friday before England face the Black Caps on Sunday in what could become the right to play in the final. New Zealand posted 196 for five, helped by Kane Williamson, who top-scored with 72. Another Jason Roy failure was countered by a blistering start from Alex Hales, whose 47 off 24 balls threatened to put New Zealand on the back foot. Dawid Malan’s third halfcentury in his fourth T20i match gave some hope, along with David Willey, who thrashed a couple of sixes.