Captain Ben Stokes returned to England training at Trent Bridge on Wednesday after fronting up to his team-mates and apologising for his high-profile curfew breach. Photo: IANS
Returning captain Ben Stokes insisted he had been "man enough" to apologise to his England teammates after missing the last Test for breaching a curfew.
Stokes and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were dropped from the second Test against New Zealand after breaking a midnight curfew in an incident at a London nightclub, celebrating England's first win in the series opener at Lord's.
In their absence, an England team led by stand-in captain Joe Root and showing five changes — including three debutants — suffered a 253-run thrashing at the Oval as New Zealand levelled the series at 1-1 heading into the Nottingham finale at Trent Bridge starting on Thursday. The curfew breach came following the drinking controversies that marred England's 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia.
Both Stokes and Atkinson, issued with a written conduct warning while cleared of any wrongdoing in a physical altercation, have been restored to the England team for the series decider.
