England Test captain Ben Stokes may be returning to county Cricket after he was excluded from the squad for the second Test against New Zealand. He is likely to play in Durham’s upcoming County Championship match against Northamptonshire, and head coach Ryan Campbell has expressed eagerness to welcome him back.
Stokes’ absence from the England team coincides with an investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The 35-year-old, along with teammate Gus Atkinson, is under scrutiny for allegedly violating a team curfew after England’s win in the first Test at Lord’s.
As England prepares for the second Test at The Oval, Stokes is back training with Durham. Campbell noted that Stokes remains positive despite the circumstances and is putting in hard work behind the scenes.
“Our doors are always open for any of our Durham boys. If Ben happens to walk through it, I will definitely be waiting there with arms open wide,” Campbell told BBC Radio Newcastle.
The Durham coach defended Stokes, arguing that the criticism he has faced has been excessive. While he acknowledged that Stokes made a mistake by breaking curfew, Campbell thinks the reaction has been disproportionate.
“Ben knows he made a mistake and broke the curfew, but some of the reaction has been a little over,” Campbell said.
“I’m a bit old school; I like a beer after a game of cricket if you’ve got 10 days off, but I’m not the coach, I don’t run that system,” he added.
Before the home series against New Zealand, Stokes had already played in two County Championship matches for Durham. Campbell had previously indicated a strong likelihood of Stokes playing for the county again, making his appearance against Northamptonshire more probable.
If he does participate, it may be his last red-ball match before England’s Test series against Pakistan in August. As discussions about Stokes’ future as England’s Test captain continue, Durham remains supportive, with Campbell backing one of the county’s prominent players during this challenging time.