Test recall as cricket star’s ‘ordeal’ over
England cricketer Ben Stokes has thanked his friends, teammatesandwifeClareafterbeing foundnotguiltyofaffrayfollowing a brawl with two revellers.
And Stokes has been recalled to England’s Test squad just hours after the verdict.
The 27-year-old could regain his place for Saturday’s thirdTestagainstIndiaatTrent Bridge after missing the win at Lord’s because of his trial.
And the England and Wales Cricket Board announced that an independent Cricket DisciplineCommissioninvestigation into Mr Stokes and his teammateAlexHaleswouldresume.
The 27-year-old all-rounder punched Ryan Hale, 27, to the ground and then knocked out Ryan Ali, 28, during the fracas in the early hours of September 25 last year in Bristol city centre.
Stokes said he was acting in self-defence, or in the defence of others, when he punched the two best friends hours afterEnglandplayedtheWestIndies in a one-day international in the city.
The jury at Bristol Crown Court took under three hours to acquit Stokes and co-accused Ali of affray after a seven-day trial.
After the hearing, a statement read out on his behalf, said: “Firstly, Ben would like to thank his friends, teammates, family and in particular his wife Clare for their unerring support throughout what has been a very difficult period for Ben.
“Today’s verdict represents the end of an 11-month ordeal for Ben during which time he has had to maintain his silence at times when many of social media, and certain parts of the press, predetermined his guilt long before the trial began.
“The evidence available to the jury included the full range of CCTV footage that shows exactly what happened in September.
“The jury’s decision that Ben is not guilty fairly reflects the truth of what happened in Bristol that night.
Much of the incident and build-up was captured on CCTV cameras around the Clifton Triangle area.
The violence erupted shortly after 2.30am.
BothStokesandAliclaimed theywereactinginself-defence and blamed each other for beingtheaggressor.Alitoldjurors theEnglandcricketer“wasvery angryandlookingforsomeone to pick on”.
Stokes said: “I was trying to stopMrAlidoingdamagetoanybody with a glass bottle.”
Stokes and Ali tussled and fell to the floor and when the sportsman got back to his feet Mr Hale was in front of him.
“I felt under threat by these two and felt I had to do whatever it was to keep myself and others around me safe,” Stokes said.
Stokes was arrested and asked why he punched Ali. He told police: “Because he was abusing my two friends for being gay.”
Stokes, of Stockton Road, Castle Eden, Durham, and Ali, of Forest Road, Bristol, each denied a charge of affray.