England Cricket’s Managing Director Rob Key has revealed that a total alcohol ban is under consideration for the senior national team following a late-night nightclub altercation involving Test captain Ben Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson.
This has become a hot topic in English media with things further intensifying after Stokes’ decision to retire from the sport altogether.
Speaking at the Oval ahead of England’s 2nd Test against New Zealand, a visibly angry Rob Key admitted feelings of worry upon learning the incident, which occurred right after England’s victory in 1st Test at Lord’s. Ben Stokes and co had registered a dominating 115-run, courtesy of incoming Ollie Robinson’s player of the match winning all-round performance.
But the nightclub incident involving Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson has taken all the shine off England’s win last week. While initial investigations suggest Stokes and Atkinson were not the primary aggressors, they breached team protocols by being out past the midnight curfew introduced earlier this year in the wake of the squad’s reckless drinking spree during the Ashes in Australia.
The incident is a significant blow to the team management as Rob Key, along with Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum spent months to establish a strict drinking rule to rebuild public trust. Key noted the frustration of feeling smashed in the face by the setback, acknowledging that English cricket has struggled to maintain that trust.
“I’m trying to give myself a bit of time. I had that sinking feeling when I found out where you just can’t speak for a few minutes, then you’ve got to start. Then a range of emotions where I was incredibly angry, still am. Same with Brendon.” – Rob Key said.
While Key stated that the duo’s long-term international futures are not in danger, he remained non-committal about whether Stokes would retain the Test captaincy moving forward, stating that no rash decisions would be made while the official investigation is underway.
“We’ve got to run the investigation, find out what happened exactly. I think the decision is about what’s best for the team and what’s best for Ben as well. It’s not just about what happened on Sunday night, it’s about the best thing moving forward. We need time, because that’s a big decision.” – Rob Key added.
In Ben Stokes’ absence, Joe Root will take charge in the 2nd Test. The series concluder at the Oval will start from June 17 onwards.