England stars Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have been ruled out of their ongoing County Championship at the request of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), prompting speculation that both players could return for the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge next week.Neither Stokes nor Atkinson played the second Test after breaking curfew while celebrating England’s series-opening victory at Lord’s. He is a stand-in captain Joe Root leading an inexperienced team, England faced New Zealand at The Oval and faced a tough final day.Before the release, both players impressed in their respective regions. Stokes appeared for Durham against Northamptonshire and bowled 25 overs on Friday before hitting 95 runs in a thrilling knock on Saturday. National draft pick Marcus North was among those watching the action.Atkinson also made his presence felt for Surrey against Glamorgan, taking four wickets for 61 runs. Following the ECB’s request, Stokes was replaced by Colin Ackermann in Durham’s playing XI, while Tom Lawes replaced Atkinson at Surrey.
Questions remain curfew violation search
While England head coach Brendon McCullum has previously voiced concerns about Stokes, Durham coach Ryan Campbell offered a different view. “All I’ve seen is the same old Ben Stokes who likes to be in the Durham dressing room, who likes to be around the cricket ground and who never missed a beat,” he added.According to English media reports, the ECB is still investigating the pair’s curfew violations, and no decision has been announced. Similarly, England’s squad for the third Test has not been confirmed. Any change in this regard is expected after the conclusion of the second Test at The Oval.Meanwhile, England suffered a massive 253-run defeat against New Zealand at The Oval, spoiling their Lord’s victory as the series was leveled 1-1 ahead of the third Test in Nottingham.
