Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have been cleared by the independent Cricket Regulator before England’s deciding third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
The pair had missed the second Test after a nightclub incident that followed England’s win over New Zealand earlier this month, but the regulator has taken no further action after finding insufficient evidence against them, according to a fresh update from Sky Sports.
Stokes and Atkinson have both been recalled for the final Test, which starts on Thursday, with the series level and England under pressure after a heavy defeat in the second match.
England regain captain and bowler at decisive moment
The timing matters as much as the verdict. Stokes returns as captain for a match England cannot afford to drift through, while Atkinson gives the attack another senior option at a venue where selection balance will be central.
The ECB’s parallel process still resulted in written conduct warnings over contractual obligations, so this is not a clean reset in reputational terms. But from a cricket perspective, the key development is that both players are available again.
Brendon McCullum now has his captain back, his fast-bowling depth improved and a clear chance to redirect the week towards the cricket rather than the controversy.
