ben stokes

Ben Stokes may not return to England duty until New Zealand Tests due to legal issues
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Ben Stokes must appear at magistrates court on February 13
Ben Stokes must appear at magistrates court on February 13

Nick Hoult
19 JANUARY 2018 • 1:22 PM
England are beginning to lose hope of seeing Ben Stokes until the Test series in New Zealand as his legal situations delays his international return.

It has been a long week for the England & Wales Cricket Board, which has been pilloried for bringing back Stokes and then humiliated when his first appearance at magistrates court was scheduled for the same day, February 13, he was pencilled in to make his return for England in a Twenty20 in New Zealand.

The ECB and Stokes’s own legal team thought he would not have to appear in person at magistrates court but there is an acceptance now that was wrong and he will have to attend along with the two other men also charged with affray.

Stokes could fly out immediately after his hearing for the one-day series against New Zealand, which starts on February 25, but that will be based on the proviso that he does not have another court appearance in that time and they are beginning to fear he will not be available until the Test series starts in March.

England do not arrive home from New Zealand until April 4 and there is a chance Stokes might have to appear in court again before that date, throwing even more uncertainty around his availability