BEN STOKES is set to be banned by England for the whole winter as punishment for his street brawl.
He is certainly out of the Ashes and it is increasingly likely he will be axed from the one-dayers in Australia and the New Zealand tour.
That means the earliest Stokes could play for England again is next summer’s First Test against Pakistan at Lord’s on May 24.
Stokes could also be excluded from the Indian Premier League next spring if the ECB refuse to issue a non-objection certificate — meaning his punches would cost him around £2million.
Bosses at the ECB were horrified when they saw The Sun’s video of Stokes brawling in Bristol in the early hours of last Monday.
England supremo Andrew Strauss acted quickly and told all-rounder Stokes and one-day batsman Alex Hales they will not be chosen by England “until further notice” while police investigations continue.
And at some point that will become an official suspension.
Strauss has been handling the internal investigation for England.
He believes the ECB should come down hard on Stokes to demonstrate that such serious breaches of discipline will not be tolerated. Ex-captain Strauss will present evidence to the ECB’s Cricket Disciplinary Commission — headed by lawyer and ex-Derbyshire player Tim O’Gorman — who will decide what sanctions to apply.
It is a legal minefield. Strauss knows England must tread carefully and not be seen to do anything that could prejudice the police enquiries.
But with the Ashes squad jetting off Down Under on October 28, one or two replacements for Stokes will have to be named soon.
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Avon and Somerset Police say they will not prioritise the Stokes case. And that means it could take several weeks before they decide whether to press charges.
Police have appealed for two witnesses — but they have yet to come forward.
Stokes, 26, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of actual bodily harm.
Stokes and Hales will today be given new central contracts and remain on full pay, though that is no indication that their England futures are safe.
The plan now is for Stokes to attend courses to try to address the excesses of his behaviour.
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