Ben Stokes is reportedly contemplating his future with the England cricket team after he and pace bowler Gus Atkinson breached the squad’s midnight curfew early Monday morning.
Stokes faces a potential suspension from the remainder of the three-match series against New Zealand, while Atkinson might receive a lighter penalty, possibly sidelining him for just one match, which would prevent him from playing in the second Test at The Oval, his home ground, starting June 17.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is currently investigating the incident at the Rex Rooms nightclub in Chelsea, where a team security member was allegedly hit by Totoa Auvaa, a Saracens rugby player. Meanwhile, Stokes is reportedly at his north-east home, contemplating his next steps.
Earlier that evening, Stokes had been seen enjoying £25 double rum and cokes with England rugby captain Maro Itoje, prior to the late-night altercation involving another rugby player.
A source within the team described the uncertainty surrounding Stokes’ future as ‘up in the air.’ Another insider told the Daily Mail Sport: “Even he might not yet know what he wants to do.”
The atmosphere at Lord’s remains tense following this latest alcohol-related scandal to hit English cricket. This is particularly significant as Stokes, alongside head coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key, had helped establish the curfew after the failed Australian tour. There is growing frustration at headquarters over the captain’s alleged tarnishing of the sport’s reputation.
Ben Stokes’ international future is in doubt after he was caught up in a nightclub melee in the early hours of Monday morning
An ECB security guard was injured after the incident at the Rex Rooms in Chelsea
Stokes, who turned 35 on the first day of England’s 115-run win over New Zealand at Lord’s, must now decide whether to pursue his ambition of regaining the Ashes when Australia visit next summer.
A two-match ban would give Harry Brook the chance to convert the 1–0 lead into a series victory and embark on a new era for English cricket.
Brook would then be in charge of both the red-and white-ball set-ups, cementing the good relationship he struck up with McCullum during the limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka and subsequent T20 World Cup in the subcontinent.
There is no guarantee, either, that Stokes would be picked on merit if the captaincy were no longer his.
Scores of 12 and nought at Lord’s extended his poor sequence with the bat to 35 runs in seven innings, and came after his demotion to No 7 below wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
Insiders point to the fact that Stokes has had to contend with a lot in the past few months – from the Ashes disappointment to the facial injury that delayed his return for Durham earlier this season to speculation over his relationship with McCullum.
Now he must decide whether he’s had enough.
The incident on Monday was understood to have been sparked by a disagreement over tables in a VIP area of the club.
Stokes was drinking double rum and cokes with Itoje prior to moving on to the nightclub.
The England cricket star and team-mate Atkinson were mingling with England rugby internationals at the White Horse in Parsons Green, south-west London on Sunday evening as they celebrated their first Test win over New Zealand.
But hours later a brawl over tables in the VIP area of the club broke out at Rex Rooms in Chelsea. The venue is open until 3.30am and has been described as ‘Chelsea’s naughtiest night club’.
Stokes arrived at the pub in south-west London at around 9pm, where bar staff said he already appeared ‘tipsy’.
He hovered by the bar, ordering ‘enormous’ rounds including ‘plenty’ of double rum and cokes at up to £25 each, before leaving at 11pm.
Stokes was at the venue with Gus Atkinson after England’s first Test win over New Zealand
England cricketers including Stokes and Atkinson were seen in discussion with rugby stars Itoje, Ben Earl and Jamie George.
Daily Mail Sport understands that there is a friendliness between the two camps, with George founding the nearby Boundary pub with a number of former England cricket stars, and Earl an old friend of Zak Crawley.
Pub staff said the cricketers were hovering by the bar while rugby players stuck to their tables on the other side of the venue.
But they eventually merged groups and were heard discussing their respective tours to Australia, before Saracens stars left the White Horse at closing time to head to Rex Rooms.
Stokes was seen having a long conversation with George which appeared ‘very friendly’, a staff member said.
Saracens have since confirmed they are aware of an incident involving one of their players. Auvaa is a 21-year-old Samoan whose height and weight are listed as 6ft 5in and 125kg.
Daily Mail Sport understands the altercation was not instigated by the two cricketers, who were out drinking near England’s Kensington hotel.
‘The ECB is currently investigating a breach of team protocols following the conclusion of the first men’s Test against New Zealand,’ read a statement from the governing body.
‘Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were present at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning when an incident took place.
‘We are currently seeking further information, and an announcement regarding the squad for the second Test will be made in due course.
‘The Cricket Regulator has been informed and we will provide a further update when possible.’
The regulator is an independent body that looks into cases of misconduct and will look into their behaviour in the aftermath of England’s 115-run victory over the Kiwis at Lord’s in which Atkinson bagged match figures of seven for 39.
But it is the worst possible news for a governing body desperate to clean up the image of an England team defeated 4-1 by Australia on an Ashes tour that followed Brook being punched by a Wellington night spot bouncer and featured a boozy mid-series break for the squad in Noosa likened to a stag do.
A late night video of Ben Duckett in the Queensland resort was posted on social media, with the opener appearing to be intoxicated.
The ECB’s men’s director of cricket Rob Key investigated the time in Noosa, but denied the team had a drinking culture.
But it later emerged that Brook had been investigated for being out late on the night of Halloween – hours before a one-day international defeat to New Zealand.
Brook, 27, initially made a statement of apology making clear he had been alone on the night in question, only for it later to emerge he was covering up for Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue.
Saracens player Totoa Auvaa was involved in the nightclub incident with England’s cricketers
He apologised for lying and all three were subject of the regulator’s inquiry. Brook and Bethell were handed caution notices for contravening player conduct rules. No further action was taken against Tongue, who was in New Zealand in a training rather than playing capacity.
During the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka and Twenty20 World Cup that followed, England’s players avoided late night drinking in public, although they did mingle with fans to celebrate victories in the bars of team hotels.
On Sunday, Stokes said at his post-match press conference that he was looking forward to sharing a celebratory beer with his team-mates in the home dressing room after putting a chastening winter for the Test team behind them with a quick fire victory on a lottery of a Lord’s pitch.
Ironically, he gave up alcohol for large swathes of the winter in a bid to get fit for the 2026 season after fracturing his cheekbone in a freak net incident with Durham.
The second Test begins on June 17, with England’s selectors of Key, Brendon McCullum and Marcus North expected to be told by their bosses that Stokes and Atkinson cannot be considered in the circumstances.
In 2018, Stokes was cleared of affray following a fight outside a Bristol nightclub hours after an England one-day international at the end of the 2017 season.
But it cost him a place in the 2017-18 Ashes and this latest episode could even result in him calling it a day as an international cricketer.
