Ben Stokes: ECB’s Rob Key insists England haven’t thought-about relieving captain of duties regardless of being ‘offended’ at nightclub incident

ECB managing director Rob Key says he felt dumbstruck, offended and pissed off after studying Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson broke group curfew guidelines, however is refusing to make a “rash choice” on the Take a look at captain’s future.

On Wednesday, the ECB introduced that Stokes and Atkinson had “not been made obtainable for choice” for England’s second Take a look at in opposition to New Zealand at The Kia Oval subsequent week, after the pair have been concerned in an altercation at a nightclub within the early hours of Monday morning, after the group’s midnight curfew.

Key denied the England males’s cricket aspect was a “nationwide embarrassment”, including he was contemplating the thought of imposing a whole alcohol ban on the group.

Talking for the primary time for the reason that incident, Key additionally stated:

Stokes is “advantageous” however remorseful, and has not decided on persevering with as captain
Atkinson, who has apologised to move coach Brendon McCullum, says he didn’t know there was a curfew
Subsequent steps together with a complete alcohol ban are being thought-about
England gamers weren’t aggressive within the incident
Taking the captaincy was an excessive amount of of a burden for Harry Brook

Studies emerged in current days that Stokes was contemplating his future as captain, with Key insisting {that a} choice to alleviate the 35-year-old had “not crossed his thoughts” with the incident nonetheless “very uncooked”.

Stokes and Atkinson have been on the Rex Rooms in West London when a Saracens rugby participant threw a punch at Atkinson, however hit a safety guard who was supervising the gamers.

“Now we have acquired to let the method play via,” Key stated, when requested by Sky Sports activities if Stokes has a future as captain. “That is why it’s in place, as a result of I do not assume any of us, whether or not that is Ben, Gus, myself, the ECB, nobody needs to make a rash choice.

“I’ve gone via a variety of feelings, I believe, from being completely dumbstruck to anger, which I am nonetheless undecided I am over all of that stuff on the minute, and Ben, I believe, has been via the identical vary of feelings.

“We’re talking most days, so in the meanwhile we’re simply going to let that course of play out. Hopefully, that shall be fairly easy, after which we are able to see the place we go from there. “

He defined Stokes was doing “advantageous”, however was remorseful, and that he and Atkinson have been “within the unsuitable place on the unsuitable time”.

“All the things we have checked out thus far and all the things we have came upon, it seems to be like they have been within the unsuitable place on the unsuitable time. They weren’t aggressive or something.

“Really, they have been on the receiving finish of what seems to be like some fairly poor behaviour from different folks. However the remainder of it I am not going to take a position on.”

Stokes has made no choice on persevering with as captain

Sky Sports activities Information understands fears over Stokes’ future as England Take a look at captain have cooled, with Key explaining the Durham all-rounder had not decided over his personal place.

“We’ve not spoken about that,” Key stated. “I have never stated something [to him], the ECB hasn’t stated something that word as properly.

“At this stage, it is simply slowing all the things down and ensuring that we simply comply with precisely what we should always achieve this a great choice will be made, no matter it’s.”

Key acknowledged that the altercation provides off a “horrible look” after a sequence of alcohol-related incidents marred England’s winter schedule in New Zealand and Australia.

“Over the previous three months, Stokes and I’ve put a lot work into taking this group ahead, and I believe we began to see that out on the pitch,” Key stated.

“All of the work that we have achieved, whether or not that is fascinated about the protocols, fascinated about how we are able to make this group extra skilled, and clearly what occurred on Sunday is a horrible search for what is going on on and Ben, I am certain, has an enormous quantity of regret for his half in that.”

Atkinson did not find out about curfew

Atkinson, who took seven wickets throughout England’s win of their opening Take a look at in opposition to New Zealand at Lord’s, has apologised to McCullum.

“He is distraught that his actions have meant that he is a part of why he isn’t chosen for an Oval Take a look at match, in addition to he bowled in that recreation,” Key stated

Increasing on the small print of Sunday night, Key stated {that a} group of gamers had been celebrating England’s win in opposition to New Zealand within the dressing room earlier than heading out in London.

“All however two of them got here again in time for the curfew,” the England managing director stated. “So, I really feel that if these protocols weren’t in place, this might have been rather a lot worse. Atkinson says he did not know.”

“I am offended, pissed off at having to sit down right here and discuss via this,” Key added.

Key contemplating whole alcohol ban

The ECB and the impartial Cricket regulator have launched an investigation into the incident.

Key and Stokes had labored laborious to instil higher requirements of professionalism throughout the aspect after the incidents in New Zealand and Australia.

Harry Brook was given a £30,000 advantageous after he was concerned in an altercation with a bouncer outdoors a Wellington nightclub the evening earlier than captaining England in a one-day worldwide. Studies additionally emerged of extreme day consuming and a ‘stag-do tradition’ throughout England’s mid-Ashes break to Noosa.

Curfew protocols have been established in January, and participant representatives have been all notified of the brand new association. Key defined the group had spoken in regards to the new measures collectively.

He instructed Sky Sports activities that he “did not wish to decide when he was offended” however questioned whether or not the ECB had been strict sufficient on the gamers, and was considering implementing a complete ban on alcohol. “Even once they win a recreation of cricket, is it now a time the place there’s simply no alcohol at any stage?” Key stated.

“I must assume this stuff via as a result of I do not wish to make a rash choice that hinders the group, goes from there, and creates a scenario the place they do not really feel they’ll do something.

“The gamers now have to point out the general public that they are often trusted. And at this level, it is laborious to say you can.”

‘Interim captaincy too huge a job for Brook’

Joe Root will step as much as take the captaincy as a substitute of vice-captain Brook for England’s upcoming second Take a look at in opposition to New Zealand.

Key stated there have been a number of the explanation why former everlasting skipper Root was chosen over Brook, acknowledging that the Wellington incident was “definitely one issue” within the choice.

“We simply thought this was too huge a job at this stage for Harry to tackle within the interim. We thought lengthy and laborious about the way in which to go,” Key stated.

“There’s a lot that comes with the Take a look at captaincy, even in case you’re solely doing it for one Take a look at match, particularly going into this one.

“Brook is the white ball captain. I believe he is been excellent at doing that job on the sphere specifically. And he is coming of age as a captain.”

Brook is known to be content material with the choice to present Root the captaincy.

Root stepped down from the function in 2022 having captained the aspect for 64 Exams, probably the most of any participant in England’s historical past.

“There’s a number of various factors of why we went for Joe Root, however in the end, when English cricket’s in a gap, Root is the person that we requested to dig us out of it, whether or not that is on the sphere or off the sphere,” Key stated.

“We’re extremely fortunate to have him. And after I spoke to him about whether or not he would think about this, he did not hesitate and I am excited to see what that brings, hopefully it brings out one of the best of his captaincy. “

England are usually not a “nationwide embarrassment”

Despite the newest incident, Key rejected strategies that the Take a look at aspect have been a “nationwide embarrassment”, pointing to their comfy win at Lord’s final week for example of the outcomes achieved since Stokes and McCullum got here into their positions.

“I do not assume they’re turning into a nationwide embarrassment,” Key stated. “I believe that Stokes and McCullum are one of the crucial profitable coach and captain partnerships that we have had.

“I believe the way in which that we went out, the way in which that we have regenerated this aspect since dropping Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Chris Woakes, what they have been doing out on the sphere, particularly within the final Take a look at match, and hopefully that continues, this is likely one of the extra profitable England Take a look at groups.

“That is what I wish to replicate on. And it is not even anyplace close to the top of it for that. This group, with the bowling assault that appears prefer it might be in play for the following few years for England, might be probably the greatest we have had.

“I believe ’embarrassment’ is way too robust a phrase for a group that is taking part in the way in which that they’ll do.”