Cricket-Stokes returns to captaincy for England's third test, says ECB

England's Captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson will return for the third test against New Zealand after a disciplinary hearing following a curfew breach incident.

Captain Ben Stokes ​and fast bowler Gus Atkinson will return for England’s ​third test against New Zealand in Nottingham ‌following ​the conclusion of a disciplinary hearing, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Sunday.

The pair were suspended from the second test after a curfew breach at a London ‌nightclub and were reportedly present when a member of England's security staff was involved in an incident with a Saracens rugby player following England’s first-test win. Stokes missed England's second match as New Zealand levelled the series with a 253-run victory at The Oval ‌on Sunday.

Earlier, head coach Brendon McCullum had said England were expecting Stokes to return for the third test after ‌the 35-year-old withdrew from Durham’s County Championship match against Northamptonshire at the ECB’s request. "Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have been included in the England Men’s squad for the third Rothesay test against New Zealand following the conclusion of an ECB disciplinary hearing in relation to their conduct in the early ⁠hours of ​Monday 8 June," the board ⁠said in a statement.

"Stokes and Atkinson were found to have breached specific contractual obligations that require England players to at all times maintain the highest ⁠standards of conduct and act in the best interests of England cricket." The ECB said both players had received written warnings but were not ​blamed for the violence, noting that Stokes was not present during the violent conduct and that Atkinson was subjected ⁠to unprovoked attacks but did not retaliate.

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. Stokes impressed for Durham, scoring 95 off 118 balls against Northamptonshire.

The BBC reported on Sunday that Atkinson has also been withdrawn from his County Championship fixture.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 third test match between England and New Zealand begins on June 25 at Trent ⁠Bridge in Nottingham. England Men’s ⁠third test squad: Ben Stokes (C), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, ‌Josh Tongue