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The England cricketer Ben Stokes has vowed to clear his name after he was charged with affray following an incident outside a nightclub in September.
The 26-year-old all-rounder, who was arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm following the disturbance in the Clifton area of Bristol, missed the recent Ashes series in Australia after the England and Wales Cricket Board opted to suspend him pending any legal developments in relation to the incident. However, he was named provisionally in the squad for the Twenty20 tri-series against Australia and New Zealand, which starts in February after the conclusion of the current one-day international series against Australia.
Stokes, who made a statement via his official Twitter account, said: “I want to thank all those who have continued to support me in relation to the Bristol incident, not least my family, friends, fans and team‑mates. I gave a full and detailed account of my actions to the police on the day – and have cooperated at each step of the police inquiry.
“I am keen to have an opportunity to clear my name but, on advice, the appropriate time to do this is when the case comes to trial. The CPS decision to charge me, as well as Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale, at least means that my account of what happened that night can come out in court and be made public. Until then, my focus is very much on cricket.”
The ECB said it would now convene a board meeting in the coming days to discuss whether Stokes would be able to represent England after the Crown Prosecution Service’s decision on Monday.
An ECB spokesman said: “The ECB is aware that Ben Stokes has been charged with affray in relation to an incident in Bristol in September. The board will now convene within 48 hours to decide on Ben Stokes’ availability for England at this stage. A further announcement will be made in due course.”
Stokes is one of three men scheduled to appear at Bristol magistrates’ court at a later date. The cricketer, along with Ali, 28 and Hale, 26, both of Bristol, are all charged with one count of affray.
The CPS said in a statement: “The CPS was passed a file of evidence by Avon & Somerset Police on 29 November 2017 in relation to an incident of disorder in Bristol city centre.
“Further material was subsequently received in late December. Following a review of all the available evidence, the CPS has today authorised the police to charge three men with affray in connection with the incident.”
Stokes has been one of England’s most popular cricketers in recent times, with his all-action style with bat and ball making him popular with supporters. He has scored six centuries and 12 half‑centuries in his 39 Tests for England, but he has not played for his country since early September.
Last month Stokes was also ruled out of the current one-day series in Australia by the ECB. But the ECB chief executive, Tom Harrison, suggested that the board would not prevent Stokes from playing in competitions such as the Indian Premier League, while he is out of the England set-up.
(GUARDIAN)
