Ben Stokes leaves court after being acquitted of charges relating to a late-night brawl in September. GETTY IMAGES
The England & Wales Cricket Board announced BEN STOKES was added to England's squad after his acquittal at Bristol Crown Court, according to Nick Hoult of the London TELEGRAPH. Stokes could feature for England for the third test against India at Trent Bridge, starting on Saturday. An ECB spokesperson said, "Now that the legal proceedings have concluded, the disciplinary process for Ben Stokes and ALEX HALES can be scheduled by the Cricket Discipline Commission. ... Considerable detail has been heard in this week-long court case and, in due course, there will be a range of matters for the Board to fully consider." The not guilty verdict leaves the ECB to launch a disciplinary process and "sit in judgement on a player who has admitted to fighting in the street, albeit in self defence" (TELEGRAPH, 8/14).
FACE TO FACE: In London, David Brown reported Stokes "shook hands with the man he was accused of punching unconscious during a street brawl after they were both cleared of affray." The all-rounder walked across to RYAN ALI in the dock at Bristol Crown Court after the jury reached verdicts following two-and-a-half hours of deliberation. Stokes, 27, said that he was acting in self-defense when he punched Ali, 28, and his friend RYAN HALE, 27, hours after England beat the West Indies in a one-day int'l in September. Hale was cleared of affray on the orders of Judge PETER BLAIR, QC, last week (LONDON TIMES, 8/14). In London, Tom Morgan reported Stokes' spokesperson said that the cricketer had been "minding his own business before violence flared." The spokesperson added that Stokes had been a victim of "pre-determined guilt" and denied claims he was under a curfew on the night of the brawl. Stokes refused to answer questions as he walked away from the court (TELEGRAPH, 8/14).
