England captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson have been cleared of any wrongdoing following an investigation into nightclub incidents following their team’s win over New Zealand earlier this month. The pair had already been given written warnings by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for breaching the team’s curfew and were not included in the second Test against New Zealand. However, both players are expected to return for the third Test, which starts on Thursday at Trent Bridge in Nottingham. On Monday, the independent Cricket Regulator confirmed that no disciplinary action would be taken against any player following a review of the matter. The row stemmed from an incident after England’s win in the first Test, when Stokes and Atkinson stayed out past midnight and went to a London nightclub. That same evening, a team security officer was allegedly assaulted by a rugby player from Premier League team Saracens. The Cricket Regulator launched an investigation into the incident and said it had reviewed a number of references before concluding. “After a careful review of all the available evidence, the Cricket Regulator has concluded that there is no sufficient evidence to establish that a violation of the rules took place,” the board said. According to the regulator, the investigators followed “several lines of inquiry to collect and analyze evidence” before deciding that the case was not worth action. The news also sparked debate about the culture of England’s fathers, particularly after criticism of the team’s unsuccessful Ashes tour of Australia, where reports of alcohol abuse and inappropriate behavior attracted widespread attention. Although the off-field issue has now been resolved, attention will return to cricket. England and New Zealand enter the third and final Test level at 1-1, setting up a convincing showdown at Trent Bridge.
