Ben Stokes court date clashes with international comeback
The England cricket star is due to face a charge of affray in Bristol on the same day as the T20 match in New Zealand.
Thursday 18 January 2018 11:41, UK
Cricket star Ben Stokes is set to appear in court on the day he was to make his international comeback.
The all-rounder is due to face a charge of affray at Bristol Magistrate's Court on 13 February - the same time as the T20 match in New Zealand.
The trial concerns a fight that took place outside a Bristol nightclub in September, in which one man suffered a fractured eye socket.
Stokes, 26, missed the Ashes after being suspended from playing for England, but was back up for England selection after an announcement by the England and Wales Cricket board on Wednesday.
He was named in the International Cricket Council's test and one-day international teams of 2017 on Thursday.
In a series of tweets following the decision he said he was "delighted to be given the opportunity" to play for England again.
Days earlier he wrote in another message on Twitter that he was "keen to have an opportunity" to clear his name, and had cooperated with the police.
The fixture is scheduled for 14 February but due to a time difference between the UK and New Zealand takes place on the same day as the hearing.