Stokes let his nation down, says Warner
DAVID WARNER has cheerfully reminded England what they will be missing when the Ashes start at the Gabba by accusing Ben Stokes of letting down his country.
With unsubstantiated rumours swirling here that Stokes, who was suspended by England following a late-night brawl in Bristol in September, will soon fly out to Australia, Warner opted for the moral high ground.
‘I think it’s probably disappointing for the England team and the country,’ said the man who missed the first two Tests of the 2013 Ashes after punching Joe Root in a Birmingham bar.
‘He’s let a lot of people down. I would have loved for him to be out here because I know what a competitor he is on the field.’
Avon and Somerset Police are no nearer deciding whether to charge Stokes after he was filmed knocking a man to the ground outside a nightclub almost two months ago.
England opener Alastair Cook said: ‘Since we’ve arrived here we’ve accepted it would be very unlikely that Ben would be here, so it’s about dealing with that. Ben could have got injured in the first warm-up game, done a hamstring or a knee and we wouldn’t have him. You can’t just always pin your hopes on one guy.
‘If there is a bonus of him making the trip at some stage that would be great, but I can honestly say it hasn’t been spoken about in the changing room. We all wish Ben was here, he is a good guy, and we know his family really well.
‘It’s a shame for him he’s missing a big series.’
Stokes posted footage on Instagram of a private training session but all-rounder Moeen Ali denied it was a distraction ahead of a Test they cannot afford to lose.
Meanwhile, former England wicket-keeper Matt Prior has defended himself strongly in the wake of criticism from Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon claimed that during Australia’s 5-0 whitewash of England in 2013-14, Prior was so ‘scared’ he wanted to fly home early.
Prior, who played 79 Tests before retiring in 2015 due to injury, said: ‘Last time someone spouted a whole load of bull **** about me I stayed quiet, not this time. To be clear, I may have been playing badly, fair enough, but there was no way I was getting on a plane home. You’ve embarrassed yourself and this game has a funny way of biting back.
‘I sincerely hope you’re not part of a losing team on home soil. I still remember being sat on the outfield at the SCG after winning 3-1 while your Press and fans were tearing into the Oz players. You want to end careers? Just make sure it’s not yours that ends.’