Stokes returns to Durham training after England omission

Ben Stokes returned to training with Durham on Saturday following the nightclub incident that has caused the captain to miss England's second Test against New Zealand.

Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson have been made unavailable for the second Test at The Oval, starting on Wednesday, pending an investigation.

The pair broke the England team's midnight curfew after the defeat of the Black Caps in the first Test last Sunday. They were present in the early hours of Monday morning when a member of security staff was struck by a Saracens rugby player.

Stokes, 35, was at Chester-le-Street on Saturday for the second day of Durham's County Championship match against Derbyshire.

The all-rounder bowled in the middle before play, then batted in the nets with Durham batting coach Dale Benkenstein. Stokes' county and international team-mate Emilio Gay was also training.

Despite the investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) preventing them from playing in the second Test, Stokes and Atkinson are permitted to play domestic cricket.

Therefore, the pair could feature in the next round of County Championship matches, beginning on Friday. Durham are at home to Northants, while Atkinson's Surrey are away at Glamorgan.

Last Monday, the ECB released a statement confirming Stokes and Atkinson had been involved in a breach of team protocols by breaking the curfew, and that the governing body will investigate.

In the immediate aftermath, some reported that Stokes was considering retirement. Those suggestions have since cooled, and the 35-year-old's return to training appears to indicate his playing career will resume.

On Thursday, England director of cricket Rob Key was asked if he expected Stokes to play international cricket again and said: "I don't see why not."

But Key offered no guarantees on the prospect of Stokes returning to the England captaincy, a position he has held since 2022.

"There are a lot of things to happen before then," said Key. "We've got to run the investigation, find out what happened exactly. We're in the midst of that at the moment. No decisions will be made until after that."

It is understood all options are open to the ECB with regard to Stokes and the captaincy, pending the result of the investigation.

However, the ECB deny he has been asked to stand down as skipper. Any notion that senior figures at the governing body are united in a desire to take the captaincy from Stokes is also thought to be incorrect.

An outcome of the ECB investigation is not expected before the beginning of the second Test. If it is not concluded, there would need to be an update before England confirm their squad for the third Test at Trent Bridge, which begins three days after the scheduled final day of the second.

England head coach Brendon McCullum is due to speak to the media at The Oval on Monday.