London — Ben Stokes will join his England teammates in New Zealand later this week after the cricketer appeared before a magistrate on Tuesday to indicate a plea of not guilty to a charge of affray. "Having entered his plea at Bristol Magistrate’s Court today, Ben Stokes will now travel to New Zealand to join the England squad," said the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It said that Stokes, who was arrested in September after an incident outside a Bristol nightclub, would arrive in New Zealand on Friday to train with his teammates in Hamilton. "Any decision to include him in upcoming matches will be made by head coach Trevor Bayliss and the England management team. "He is not being considered for the ongoing International T20 Tri-Series." The 26-year-old Durham all-rounder appeared at the court in the southwestern English city with two other men. All three indicated they were acting in self-defence. Stokes, vice-captain of the England Test team and one of world cricket’s most ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.