Cricket-Stokes withdrawn from Durham fixture at ECB request

England and Wales Cricket Board has withdrawn Ben Stokes from Durham's county championship match, potentially paving the way for his return to the England team.

Ben Stokes has been withdrawn from ​the remainder of Durham's county championship ​match against Northamptonshire at ‌the request ​of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Durham said on Sunday, in a possible indicator of ‌an England return. Stokes, England's test captain since 2022, was left out of the side pending an ECB investigation into an incident at a London nightclub following ‌the first-test victory over New Zealand at Lord's. The 35-year-old impressed for ‌Durham, scoring 95 off 118 balls against Northamptonshire. England are heading towards a likely defeat in the second test at The Oval, ending day four on 182-5 while chasing what ⁠would ​be a record ⁠463. Joe Root has deputised as captain in Stokes' absence and reached the milestone of ⁠14,000 test runs, becoming only the second player to do so after India great ​Sachin Tendulkar. The ECB are reported to be awaiting a report from ⁠the Cricket Regulator into Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson, who broke the team curfew ⁠after ​the 115-run win in the opening test. The BBC reported on Sunday that Atkinson has also been withdrawn from his county championship fixture. He had ⁠taken four wickets for his county side Surrey against Glamorgan.

The ECB did not ⁠immediately respond to ⁠a Reuters request for comment. The third test match between England and New Zealand begins on June 25 at Trent ‌Bridge in ‌Nottingham.