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CHRISTCHURCH: England allrounder Ben Stokes’ search for rehabilitation in New Zealand encountered another roadblock yesterday when he was run out for a one-ball duck in his latest innings for Canterbury province at Christchurch.
Stokes is playing for the province of his birth in New Zealand’s domestic one-day competition while he waits for prosecutors in England to decide whether he will be charged for his role in a brawl outside a nightclub in September. The 27-year-old allrounder is suspended from the England team while the police investigation continues.
By playing for Canterbury, outside the scope of his suspension, he has a chance to find form in case he is recalled by England for the current Ashes Test series in Australia. That could happen as early as next week’s third Test in Perth if he is not charged.
Stokes has already been named in England’s one-day team to play in Australia next month but that selection is provisional on any decision made by police and England’s Crown Prosecution Service.
Sunday’s match was Stokes’ third for Canterbury since he arrived in New Zealand late last month to visit family. His parents, Deb and Gerard Stokes, live in Christchurch.
Stokes made two runs and took no wicket in his first match and scored 34, took a catch but no wickets in his second match.
On Sunday he claimed his first wicket in 24 overs in Canterbury colors, catching former New Zealand one-day player Anton Devcich from his own bowling. Devcich top-scored with 59 in Northern’s total of 274 and Stokes finished with 1-56 from 10 overs.
He had faced only one ball when he was run out during Canterbury’s reply. Opener Michael Pollard hit a lofted shot to mid-on, Stokes watched the ball rather than his partner and was run out by a direct hit from the field by Brett Randell. Northern Districts won the match by 43 runs.
England were rocked this weekend by a third alcohol-related incident in three months after England Lions batsman Ben Duckett was yesterday suspended for three matches and fined £1,500 ($2,007) for pouring a drink on the head of senior England player James Anderson.
The Duckett incident follows Stokes’ involvement in a brawl outside a Bristol nightclub in September and Jonny Bairstow’s headbutt greeting for Australia Test opener Cameron Bancroft in Perth in late October.
England coach Trevor Bayliss described Duckett’s incident as “trivial” but “not acceptable,” but his opposite number, Darren Lehmann, said he did not see the funny side of his rivals self-destructing. “I’ve been through all that, so no, I don’t have a chuckle at that,” Lehmann told reporters yesterday.
“You have those situations at various stages throughout your career. It’s not funny,” he added.
“It’s a case of actually making sure you’re trying the best you can to get your side prepared. For me, I don’t have a chuckle at any of that.”
Australia can regain the Ashes urn with victory in the third Test starting on Thursday in Perth following big wins in Brisbane and Adelaide.
“For us we can’t worry about what’s going on outside with England,” Lehmann said. “They’re still a good cricket side and have some dangerous players.”
“For us, (Australia’s players) have got to be really switched on come day one in Perth.”
Lehmann said he will assess the WACA pitch before deciding whether he needs all-rounder Mitch Marsh as a fourth paceman. If Marsh is selected, it could be at the expense of struggling batsman Peter Handscomb.