Ben Stokes, dropped by England after a brawl in a nightclub, is returning to cricket

Axed England Test captain Ben Stokes will make a dramatic return to competitive cricket on Friday, having been named in the Durham squad just days after his country dropped him following a controversial late-night incident.

Stokes, 35, he was dramatically left out of the England squad for the ongoing second Test against New Zealand at the Kia Oval. The emergency disciplinary action was taken by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) after Stokes and teammate Gus Atkinson broke a strictly enforced midnight curfew following England’s first Test win at Lord’s. The pair were involved in an altercation with Saracens rugby players at a London nightclub in the early hours, during which an ECB security officer was allegedly punched and required stitches.

Despite the twin ECB investigations hanging over his international future and Test captaincy, there are no structural restrictions preventing Stokes from playing domestic cricket. Durham head coach Ryan Campbell made sure he didn’t miss the opportunity, drafting the talismanic all-rounder into a 15-man squad to take on Northamptonshire in the Rothesay County Championship at Banks Homes Riverside.

The match, which kicks off at 11am on Friday, could mark Stokes’ first competitive appearance at Chester-le-Street since June 2024, when he took three wickets and smashed a first innings half-century against Worcestershire.

Speaking earlier this week, Campbell offered an unequivocal message of support for the struggling superstar.

“Our door is always open to any of our Durham boys,” Campbell said. “If Ben happens to come through, I’ll definitely be there with open arms. Ben’s a competitor, he loves to play and he wants to play. He put his hand up and said he made a mistake. From what I’ve seen, he’s in good spirits, he’s back in training, he’s working hard and the rest will take care of itself.”

Stokes’ return brings massive box-office appeal to what is already a high-stakes Division Two clash. Durham currently sit top of the table, 18 points clear of their second-placed visitors. Northamptonshire come to the North East in great form and sit behind the leaders after recording three wins, three draws and just one defeat this season.

Campbell has named an otherwise unchanged squad for the game as Durham look to extend their unbeaten run and consolidate their promotion push. However, all eyes at the Riverside will undeniably be on Stokes.

While stand-in captain Joe Root leads the new England side in London, Stokes will let his cricket do the talking in the calmer waters of county cricket.

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Issued by:

Akshay Ramesh

Published on:

18 Jun 2026 20:20 IST