Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson withdrawn from county matches ‘at request of ECB’

Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have been withdrawn from the remainder of Durham and Surrey’s ongoing County Championship matches at the request of the England and Wales Cricket Board [ECB].

“Ben Stokes has been withdrawn from the remainder of Durham’s County Championship match against Northamptonshire at the request of the ECB,” a club statement on X said. “Colin Ackermann will replace Stokes in the Durham 11.”

Neither player was selected for the second Test after they broke the team curfew celebrating England’s first Test win against New Zealand at Lord’s. The interim captain, Joe Root, was then handed an inexperienced side who have struggled against New Zealand at The Oval, and start Sunday needing 281 more runs to win with just five wickets in hand.

Stokes opted to play for Durham against Northamptonshire and sent down 25 overs on Friday before hitting a barnstorming 95 in a session on Saturday, in front of watching national selector Marcus North.

While England’s head coach, Brendon McCullum, had expressed concern over Stokes’ state of mind, those at Chester-le-Street seemed more relaxed, with Durham coach Ryan Campbell saying: “All I have seen is the same old Ben Stokes who loves being the Durham dressing room, who loves being around a cricket ground and who hasn’t missed a beat.”

Stokes has been replaced by Colin Ackermann in the Durham XI. Atkinson also performed well in Surrey’s game against Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens, taking four wickets for 61; he will be replaced in the Surrey XI by Tom Lawes.

England’s third Test against New Zealand starts at Trent Bridge next Thursday, although the ECB’s investigations into the pair breaking the curfew are yet to come to a conclusion. No announcement on that, or the England squad for the third Test, is expected until after the denouement at the Oval.

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