The impartial Cricket Regulator has taken no motion in opposition to Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson over the nightclub incident which led to them lacking final week’s Take a look at in opposition to New Zealand, discovering “insufficient evidence” in opposition to the pair.
The ruling, which successfully clears the England captain and his team-mate, comes after the duo have been recalled for Thursday’s deciding Take a look at in opposition to New Zealand at Trent Bridge.
A parallel investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) additionally absolved Stokes and Atkinson of any wrongdoing in an altercation involving Saracens rugby union participant Totoa Auvaa, although they have been issued with written conduct warnings for contravening “specific contractual obligations.”
The regulator, which doesn’t cowl staff protocols in its remit, mentioned in a press release: “The Cricket Regulator’s role is to determine whether any participant or player has breached any applicable ECB Cricket Regulations. The investigation followed multiple lines of enquiry to gather and assess evidence in relation to the events in question.
“Having rigorously reviewed all at the moment accessible info, the Cricket Regulator has decided that there’s inadequate proof to determine that any regulatory breach occurred. Accordingly, no additional motion can be taken in opposition to both participant.
“The Cricket Regulator would like to thank all those involved for their cooperation throughout the investigation.”
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