England Cricket 2026

Karim_myBagheri · June 9

The only argument with Stokes age or actually any of the players over the age of 18 is that they have to have a curfew. It's kinda pathetic.

killerandflash · June 9

Overall he's been a decent Captain, but the much quoted high win percentage is a bit misleading as I imagine the "lose percentage " will also be quite high too.

cantersaddick · June 9

JohnnyH2 said:

cantersaddick said:

Leuth said:

cantersaddick said:

Addick Addict said:

fenaddick said:

So the Saracens player tried to punch Atkinson and hit an ECB minder. I’m sure more will come out but that sounds like their main error was breaking the curfew. Stokes might manage to get away with that

That's what Nick Hoult, the Telegraph cricket correspondent has put out on X:

Full story on Stokes-Saracens incident * Rugby player understood to have thrown a punch at Gus Atkinson but connected with ECB security guard supervising the players (who needed stitches)* ECB sources are adamant the cricketers were “not the aggressors” at Chelsea nightclub.

That begs the question - if there is a curfew, then what is an ECB security guard doing condoning that by allowing them to be there at that time?

The other part of the rumour I heard was that Stokes "stepped in" after the Saracens rugby player threw that punch. Whatever "stepped in" means I don't know but, of course, Stokes didn't hold back in the Bristol incident, when defending others, for which he was cleared of any wrongdoing. If he did then he will have no choice other than to resign.

Even if Stokes didn't throw a punch, he still might not be in the clear given what McCullum said just last week:

“The first thing I said to these boys is ‘don’t do anything that lands you on the front page of a newspaper’ and ‘nothing good happens after midnight,’ I’m not against making sure these boys have a good time in a controlled manner but it’s about looking after them to ensure they don’t make mistakes.”

Trying to land one on Gus Atkinson is the only bit of the story that makes sense tbh.

Ooh, spill more....

I mean nothing more than him coming across as a bit of a dick, even by Surrey standards....

Considering what he had been through in his personal life in the last few years being 'a bit of a dick' should be taken into consideration

Yeah fair point. I'd forgotten about that. There is a bit of a air of dickness about most of the Surrey lads to be fair and I say that as a Surrey fan.

Karim_myBagheri · June 9

TBF I want to slap Robinson as he looks like someone I went to school with who was a complete twat. Neither him or Ashley who I went to school with play for Surrey.

MarcusH26 · June 9

cantersaddick said:

JohnnyH2 said:

cantersaddick said:

Leuth said:

cantersaddick said:

Addick Addict said:

fenaddick said:

So the Saracens player tried to punch Atkinson and hit an ECB minder. I’m sure more will come out but that sounds like their main error was breaking the curfew. Stokes might manage to get away with that

That's what Nick Hoult, the Telegraph cricket correspondent has put out on X:

Full story on Stokes-Saracens incident * Rugby player understood to have thrown a punch at Gus Atkinson but connected with ECB security guard supervising the players (who needed stitches)* ECB sources are adamant the cricketers were “not the aggressors” at Chelsea nightclub.

That begs the question - if there is a curfew, then what is an ECB security guard doing condoning that by allowing them to be there at that time?

The other part of the rumour I heard was that Stokes "stepped in" after the Saracens rugby player threw that punch. Whatever "stepped in" means I don't know but, of course, Stokes didn't hold back in the Bristol incident, when defending others, for which he was cleared of any wrongdoing. If he did then he will have no choice other than to resign.

Even if Stokes didn't throw a punch, he still might not be in the clear given what McCullum said just last week:

“The first thing I said to these boys is ‘don’t do anything that lands you on the front page of a newspaper’ and ‘nothing good happens after midnight,’ I’m not against making sure these boys have a good time in a controlled manner but it’s about looking after them to ensure they don’t make mistakes.”

Trying to land one on Gus Atkinson is the only bit of the story that makes sense tbh.

Ooh, spill more....

I mean nothing more than him coming across as a bit of a dick, even by Surrey standards....

Considering what he had been through in his personal life in the last few years being 'a bit of a dick' should be taken into consideration

Yeah fair point. I'd forgotten about that. There is a bit of a air of dickness about most of the Surrey lads to be fair and I say that as a Surrey fan.

The Curran Brothers are the most slappable for me. The pair of them just have that dickish nature about them

Karim_myBagheri · June 9

The second hour of Nicky Campbell show on radio 5 today was a laugh with some of the callers about this

Notts_Addick · June 9

fenaddick said:

ECB seem determined to make this messy

https://inews.co.uk/sport/cricket/ben-stokes-england-retirement-nightclub-incident-4467028

Is it the ECB who have made this messy? By the sounds of it they have put in place a very clear rule specifically to avoid things like this and it is the captain (who you would assume was involved in making that rule) who has done exactly the opposite by staying out until 0400.

The ECB rightly come in for a lot of criticism but I am not sure this is one is on them. Whether or not a curfew is a good idea or not can be debated but there was a clear rule in place and the captain has for whatever reason decided to flout it.

Who knows what has actually happened and perhaps it is a case that they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and a rugby player has tried to lamp them with no provocation. You would assume something has gone on beforehand to lead up to that although nobody seems to know for certain and perhaps it was completely unprovoked.

I'm sure we have all worked with bosses who have a 'do as I say, not as I do' mentality and it is one of the quickest ways a leader can lose respect. The fact many of the players appear to have gone home and respected the curfew whilst the captain has carried on and clearly broken the rules everyone else is meant to be following is the most embarrassing part of this for me.

Whether or not be should lose the captaincy over that is for others to decide but any employee in any walk of life who breaks the rules his employer has set should expect to be subjected to scrutiny for that. Especially if they are in a leadership position.

I suspect the ECB are quietly fuming they have been put in this position and there's only one person that is on and that's the captain

fenaddick · June 9

Notts_Addick said:

fenaddick said:

ECB seem determined to make this messy

https://inews.co.uk/sport/cricket/ben-stokes-england-retirement-nightclub-incident-4467028

Is it the ECB who have made this messy? By the sounds of it they have put in place a very clear rule specifically to avoid things like this and it is the captain (who you would assume was involved in making that rule) who has done exactly the opposite by staying out until 0400.

The ECB rightly come in for a lot of criticism but I am not sure this is one is on them. Whether or not a curfew is a good idea or not can be debated but there was a clear rule in place and the captain has for whatever reason decided to flout it.

Who knows what has actually happened and perhaps it is a case that they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and a rugby player has tried to lamp them with no provocation. You would assume something has gone on beforehand to lead up to that although nobody seems to know for certain and perhaps it was completely unprovoked.

I'm sure we have all worked with bosses who have a 'do as I say, not as I do' mentality and it is one of the quickest ways a leader can lose respect. The fact many of the players appear to have gone home and respected the curfew whilst the captain has carried on and clearly broken the rules everyone else is meant to be following is the most embarrassing part of this for me.

Whether or not be should lose the captaincy over that is for others to decide but any employee in any walk of life who breaks the rules his employer has set should expect to be subjected to scrutiny for that. Especially if they are in a leadership position.

I suspect the ECB are quietly fuming they have been put in this position and there's only one person that is on and that's the captain

I’m talking specifically about the fallout not the incident. Of course the incident isn’t their fault. But there are leaks all over the place and instead of sacking him they’ve given him an ultimatum to resign which looks like it will lead him to retire. A strong board would remove the captaincy rather than make him resign

Notts_Addick · June 9

fenaddick said:

Notts_Addick said:

fenaddick said:

ECB seem determined to make this messy

https://inews.co.uk/sport/cricket/ben-stokes-england-retirement-nightclub-incident-4467028

Is it the ECB who have made this messy? By the sounds of it they have put in place a very clear rule specifically to avoid things like this and it is the captain (who you would assume was involved in making that rule) who has done exactly the opposite by staying out until 0400.

The ECB rightly come in for a lot of criticism but I am not sure this is one is on them. Whether or not a curfew is a good idea or not can be debated but there was a clear rule in place and the captain has for whatever reason decided to flout it.

Who knows what has actually happened and perhaps it is a case that they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and a rugby player has tried to lamp them with no provocation. You would assume something has gone on beforehand to lead up to that although nobody seems to know for certain and perhaps it was completely unprovoked.

I'm sure we have all worked with bosses who have a 'do as I say, not as I do' mentality and it is one of the quickest ways a leader can lose respect. The fact many of the players appear to have gone home and respected the curfew whilst the captain has carried on and clearly broken the rules everyone else is meant to be following is the most embarrassing part of this for me.

Whether or not be should lose the captaincy over that is for others to decide but any employee in any walk of life who breaks the rules his employer has set should expect to be subjected to scrutiny for that. Especially if they are in a leadership position.

I suspect the ECB are quietly fuming they have been put in this position and there's only one person that is on and that's the captain

I’m talking specifically about the fallout not the incident. Of course the incident isn’t their fault. But there are leaks all over the place and instead of sacking him they’ve given him an ultimatum to resign which looks like it will lead him to retire. A strong board would remove the captaincy rather than make him resign

I can see why they have potentially gone with that as their strategy as perhaps they considered resigning was a better look for him and them.

However I have a feeling it may end up biting them in the backside as Stokes strikes me as the type of guy who might come out swinging especially if he has nothing to lose and has no ties to the ECB anymore which is beginning to look like it might be the case.

In any case it is a real sorry mess with no winners and a very sad end for a really good cricketer who should have had a much more fitting send off than this, irrespective of the rights it wrongs if his actions

Lincsaddick · June 9

fenaddick said:

So the Saracens player tried to punch Atkinson and hit an ECB minder. I’m sure more will come out but that sounds like their main error was breaking the curfew. Stokes might manage to get away with that

The Saracens 'kid' is 6'5" and goes about 20 stone .. no wonder the ECB minder, IF he was hit, stayed hit .. Stokes needs to be dropped, he's in terrible form and seems to be a bad influence on the squad/team. I'm sure the rubbish perfomance in Australia and the reported lack of discipline were partly down to Stokes's 'personal values' filtering down to affect the squad.
Brook as skipper ?.. nah, problem is, who else us there? .. perhaps there's time to import yet another Kiwi as skipper, to join the Anzac crew currently running the English test team

PrincessFiona · June 9

killerandflash said:

Overall he's been a decent Captain, but the much quoted high win percentage is a bit misleading as I imagine the "lose percentage " will also be quite high too.

Because he's not afraid to lose to try to win. There are certainly less draws than there used to be - although I think the Lords pitch went a bit far to ensure a result!

PrincessFiona · June 9

Lincsaddick said:

fenaddick said:

So the Saracens player tried to punch Atkinson and hit an ECB minder. I’m sure more will come out but that sounds like their main error was breaking the curfew. Stokes might manage to get away with that

The Saracens 'kid' is 6'5" and goes about 20 stone .. no wonder the ECB minder, IF he was hit, stayed hit .. Stokes needs to be dropped, he's in terrible form and seems to be a bad influence on the squad/team. I'm sure the rubbish perfomance in Australia and the reported lack of discipline were partly down to Stokes's 'personal values' filtering down to affect the squad.
Brook as skipper ?.. nah, problem is, who else us there? .. perhaps there's time to import yet another Kiwi as skipper, to join the Anzac crew currently running the English test team

who else has been imported?

Lincsaddick · June 9

PrincessFiona said:

Lincsaddick said:

fenaddick said:

So the Saracens player tried to punch Atkinson and hit an ECB minder. I’m sure more will come out but that sounds like their main error was breaking the curfew. Stokes might manage to get away with that

The Saracens 'kid' is 6'5" and goes about 20 stone .. no wonder the ECB minder, IF he was hit, stayed hit .. Stokes needs to be dropped, he's in terrible form and seems to be a bad influence on the squad/team. I'm sure the rubbish perfomance in Australia and the reported lack of discipline were partly down to Stokes's 'personal values' filtering down to affect the squad.
Brook as skipper ?.. nah, problem is, who else us there? .. perhaps there's time to import yet another Kiwi as skipper, to join the Anzac crew currently running the English test team

who else has been imported?

McCullum, North and Southee .. head coach, new 'selector' and bowling coach respectively

EDIT, sorry, Southee is a 'bowling consultant' not coach .. Aussie David Saker was the 'bowling coach' during the Ashes, far as I know he's still knocking about with the rest of the chaps

golfaddick · June 9

I'd have no problem with Stokes being dropped but Atkinson would be missed, esp if Archer is still sunning himself in Barbados.

As for captain.....Brooks is a no from me. Who else ??? maybe Root as a temporary measure just for the next 2 Tests.

killerandflash · June 9

Notts_Addick said:

fenaddick said:

Notts_Addick said:

fenaddick said:

ECB seem determined to make this messy

https://inews.co.uk/sport/cricket/ben-stokes-england-retirement-nightclub-incident-4467028

Is it the ECB who have made this messy? By the sounds of it they have put in place a very clear rule specifically to avoid things like this and it is the captain (who you would assume was involved in making that rule) who has done exactly the opposite by staying out until 0400.

The ECB rightly come in for a lot of criticism but I am not sure this is one is on them. Whether or not a curfew is a good idea or not can be debated but there was a clear rule in place and the captain has for whatever reason decided to flout it.

Who knows what has actually happened and perhaps it is a case that they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and a rugby player has tried to lamp them with no provocation. You would assume something has gone on beforehand to lead up to that although nobody seems to know for certain and perhaps it was completely unprovoked.

I'm sure we have all worked with bosses who have a 'do as I say, not as I do' mentality and it is one of the quickest ways a leader can lose respect. The fact many of the players appear to have gone home and respected the curfew whilst the captain has carried on and clearly broken the rules everyone else is meant to be following is the most embarrassing part of this for me.

Whether or not be should lose the captaincy over that is for others to decide but any employee in any walk of life who breaks the rules his employer has set should expect to be subjected to scrutiny for that. Especially if they are in a leadership position.

I suspect the ECB are quietly fuming they have been put in this position and there's only one person that is on and that's the captain

I’m talking specifically about the fallout not the incident. Of course the incident isn’t their fault. But there are leaks all over the place and instead of sacking him they’ve given him an ultimatum to resign which looks like it will lead him to retire. A strong board would remove the captaincy rather than make him resign
I can see why they have potentially gone with that as their strategy as perhaps they considered resigning was a better look for him and them.

However I have a feeling it may end up biting them in the backside as Stokes strikes me as the type of guy who might come out swinging especially if he has nothing to lose and has no ties to the ECB anymore which is beginning to look like it might be the case.

In any case it is a real sorry mess with no winners and a very sad end for a really good cricketer who should have had a much more fitting send off than this, irrespective of the rights it wrongs if his actions

An unfortunate turn of phrase

killerandflash · June 9

Lincsaddick said:

PrincessFiona said:

Lincsaddick said:

fenaddick said:

So the Saracens player tried to punch Atkinson and hit an ECB minder. I’m sure more will come out but that sounds like their main error was breaking the curfew. Stokes might manage to get away with that

The Saracens 'kid' is 6'5" and goes about 20 stone .. no wonder the ECB minder, IF he was hit, stayed hit .. Stokes needs to be dropped, he's in terrible form and seems to be a bad influence on the squad/team. I'm sure the rubbish perfomance in Australia and the reported lack of discipline were partly down to Stokes's 'personal values' filtering down to affect the squad.
Brook as skipper ?.. nah, problem is, who else us there? .. perhaps there's time to import yet another Kiwi as skipper, to join the Anzac crew currently running the English test team

who else has been imported?

McCullum, North and Southee .. head coach, new 'selector' and bowling coach respectively

EDIT, sorry, Southee is a 'bowling consultant' not coach .. Aussie David Saker was the 'bowling coach' during the Ashes, far as I know he's still knocking about with the rest of the chaps

Jeetan Patel too.

https://www.dailymail.com/sport/cricket/article-15885717/England-cricket-captain-Ben-Stokes-downed-25-double-rum-cokes-rugby-skipper-Maro-Itoje-nightclub-punch-up.html

It doesn't make great reading. Presumably the rest of the England players left the pub at 11pm to return to the hotel, rather than going on to the club, madness for the two of them to not do the same.

Todds_right_hook · June 9

A behind close doors and a fine is a suitable punishment.

i know players are financially rewarded but they do spend a lot of time away from home and what affect does that have on players?

He is the captain and has the pressure of that, his body is giving up on him and he has to deal with that, he is out of form and has to deal with that. He went for a beer and stayed out longer than he should have and got into a bit of trouble.

I’m guilty of having a beer after work to let off steam and getting home 4 hrs later than planned and I m sure I’m not the only one

AddicksAddict · June 10

It probably doesn’t, but should that top say WHOLE EEJIT?

Pelling1993 · June 10

It's very stupid of both and they shouldn't have got themselves into this situation, but I really don't understand why anyone cares. Blokes went out and there was a little scuffle, oh well.

Addick Addict · June 10

Pelling1993 said:

It's very stupid of both and they shouldn't have got themselves into this situation, but I really don't understand why anyone cares. Blokes went out and there was a little scuffle, oh well.

Todds_right_hook said:

A behind close doors and a fine is a suitable punishment.

i know players are financially rewarded but they do spend a lot of time away from home and what affect does that have on players?

He is the captain and has the pressure of that, his body is giving up on him and he has to deal with that, he is out of form and has to deal with that. He went for a beer and stayed out longer than he should have and got into a bit of trouble.

I’m guilty of having a beer after work to let off steam and getting home 4 hrs later than planned and I m sure I’m not the only one

It's not the "scuffle" and the players going out. It's the fact that this whole team is run as a never-ending jolly boys' outing. That is what came out of the review following the Ashes and why a curfew was subsequently installed. Which Stokes chose to totally ignore. Stokes said in his post-match interview on Sunday, at 1.00pm, that he was "going to have some beers now". Nobody would suggest that he shouldn't be doing just that but I wouldn't be able to to guess how many drinks he had consumed in the subsequent dozen or so hours.

This is a guy who has had a history of "off the pitch" issues - in 2012 he was given an official caution for obstructing the police during a night out in Newcastle; in 2013 he was kicked out of the Lions for repeatedly refusing to adhere to curfews; in 2014 he punched a locker, broke his hand and was ruled out of the World T20 as a result; in 2017 there was the Bristol brawl and now this incident. Let's also not pretend that these were the only times when Stokes has gone beyond the level of permittable behaviour as a professional sportsman. These are just the ones that have been recorded.

We cannot have it both ways and bemoan a lack of professionalism when we are beaten but say it's fine when we win. The "hard life" relating to some pro cricketers in being away from family simply does not apply to Stokes either. Since the end of the Ashes at the beginning of January Stokes has played just three games. He would have had three or four months to do what he damn well likes. Equally, in this series against the Kiwis, the England players are given time to return to their families between home matches and also to be with them during those games if they so wish. So they should be allowed that but we shouldn't pretend that all countries allow this because India certainly do not.

Throughout those periods of suspension, injury and absence from the game for personal reasons, Stokes would have been paid through the vehicle of his central contract. Over £1m a year and that's without the lucrative contracts that ensue as being England captain. He's leaving the England fans short through his behaviour and encouraging others to do so too. Would Atkinson have been in that nightclub beyond the curfew had Stokes not stayed on? Somehow I doubt it.

It's too simplistic to say Stokes just stayed out late. It's what doing that represents and this following immediately after a review and reading of the riot act because of the team's behaviour including Brook having a fight with a nightclub bouncer in Wellington the night before an ODI. It's sticking two fingers up to authority and acting totally unprofessionally.

killerandflash · June 10

It wasn't a late finish, with the players not free until 8 or 9pm. The game finished at lunchtime, they would have started on the bevvies mid afternoon.

Getting back to the hotel by midnight is hardly a draconian measure when they had probably been drinking for 6 or 7 hours by that point. They're professional sportsmen, not lads on a stag weekend. And it wasn't the end of the series, it was just 1 really short game.

Todds_right_hook · June 10

I’m working on a short term contract here I work away Sunday night and come back Wednesday night. The first week was great, finish work, have a beer and a burger, back to the hotel to watch Netflix. Week two, started to become a chore. Now on week 4 and I can’t wait for it to end. I’m sick of motorways, I’m sick of hotels, I’m sick of struggling to find healthy food to eat etc. I want it to end so I can be with my family.

imagine that being your working life!!! Is there a possibility that stokes stays out drinking because he struggles with the life style? Maybe the thought of going back to a hotel room at 9pm and being on his own was a depressing thought?

Addick Addict · June 10

Todds_right_hook said:

I’m working on a short term contract here I work away Sunday night and come back Wednesday night. The first week was great, finish work, have a beer and a burger, back to the hotel to watch Netflix. Week two, started to become a chore. Now on week 4 and I can’t wait for it to end. I’m sick of motorways, I’m sick of hotels, I’m sick of struggling to find healthy food to eat etc. I want it to end so I can be with my family.

imagine that being your working life!!! Is there a possibility that stokes stays out drinking because he struggles with the life style? Maybe the thought of going back to a hotel room at 9pm and being on his own was a depressing thought?

You've not read my post. Stokes is not away from his family for weeks on end and has had a massive break between January and May from playing cricket. His situation is not the same as yours. And the England players will have every opportunity to eat as healthily as they so wish. It's literally put on a plate for them.

Ignoring that, there is a very good reason why the ECB refused to release the full contents of the post-Ashes Review. And why they then felt that they had to impose the curfew. Which the England captain immediately stuck two fingers up at.

MarcusH26 · June 10

Stokes and Atkinson dropped. Root to skipper the 2nd test

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/ce371kq48v7o

Archer and Jordan Cox added to the squad

PrincessFiona · June 10

Todds_right_hook said:

I’m working on a short term contract here I work away Sunday night and come back Wednesday night. The first week was great, finish work, have a beer and a burger, back to the hotel to watch Netflix. Week two, started to become a chore. Now on week 4 and I can’t wait for it to end. I’m sick of motorways, I’m sick of hotels, I’m sick of struggling to find healthy food to eat etc. I want it to end so I can be with my family.

imagine that being your working life!!! Is there a possibility that stokes stays out drinking because he struggles with the life style? Maybe the thought of going back to a hotel room at 9pm and being on his own was a depressing thought?

Annabel Croft and Naomi Brodie described during a rain break at Queens earlier how difficult it it for tennis players in an (understandably) similar way to cricket and many other sports - even with their own team around them, it is a lonely sport as you don't have team mates - no wonder they enjoy the Davis/BJK Cup. It might seem glamorous to some, but it is relentless and you are away from friends and family for a lot of the time and mostly living in hotels and out of a suitcase

fenaddick · June 10

MarcusH26 said:

Stokes and Atkinson dropped. Root to skipper the 2nd test

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/ce371kq48v7o

Archer and Jordan Cox added to the squad

Gotta sting for Brook

MarcusH26 · June 10

fenaddick said:

MarcusH26 said:

Stokes and Atkinson dropped. Root to skipper the 2nd test

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/ce371kq48v7o

Archer and Jordan Cox added to the squad

Gotta sting for Brook

Think ECB probably realised it was a no-go really after Brook's winter antics in New Zealand.

golfaddick · June 10

Well, at least the weather looks good for next week's Test.

killerandflash · June 10

Interesting move, but surely the correct one. Too early for Brook, and if Stokes will come back for the 3rd game, an experienced older head as Captain makes more sense than someone who had his own drinking incident so recently.

If Pope had kept his place and stayed as VC, I imagine he would have taken over.

fenaddick · June 10

MarcusH26 said:

fenaddick said:

MarcusH26 said:

Stokes and Atkinson dropped. Root to skipper the 2nd test

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/ce371kq48v7o

Archer and Jordan Cox added to the squad

Gotta sting for Brook

Think ECB probably realised it was a no-go really after Brook's winter antics in New Zealand.

Unquestionably the right decision but does weaken his position. And is a little odd after letting him captain the T20 WC

England Cricket 2026

Comments

Categories