A fresh scandal has rocked English cricket after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed a breach of team protocols after England’s win in the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s Cricket Ground. On Monday night, the ECB confirmed that there was “an incident” involving Test captain Ben Stokes and pacer Gus Atkinson at a nightclub, and further investigation was underway. However, no more details were revealed at that time. However, a fresh report in Telegraph Sport has shed further light on the incident. Stokes’ captaincy is also on the line after the England players were involved in an altercation with a Saracens rugby player in the early hours of Monday morning.
According to the report, both Stokes and Atkinson breached England’s midnight curfew, which was imposed after the Ashes debacle. The duo were involved in a melee with a Saracens academy player. The rugby player is believed to have thrown a punch at Atkinson but ended up hitting the ECB’s security guard, who was also at the nightclub supervising the players.
The same report further stated that the guard got stitches, but Stokes and Atkinson weren’t injured. The ECB are adamant that the two cricketers were not aggressors, and that the police were not involved in the entire episode.
Stokes is understood to be reconsidering his position as captain, and the ECB might sack him following the investigation into his and Atkinson’s conduct.
“We are aware of an incident involving an academy player connected to Saracens on Sunday evening,” the Telegraph Sport quoted the rugby club as saying.
“The club is currently establishing the full facts and is in contact with the relevant authorities and individuals involved. Once this process is complete, the matter will be reviewed and addressed appropriately,” the source further added.
The Telegraph also quoted a senior source in English rugby, who said that the academy player caused all the ruckus and Stokes’ losing captaincy would be unfortunate. “The Saracens player caused this and has a rep. I would not want the England cricket captain to lose his job over this,” the source said.
England’s curfew
After the 4-1 Ashes drubbing at the hands of Australia, the ECB introduced a midnight curfew and a new code of conduct. After breaching the code on Monday, both Stokes and Atkinson are expected to miss the second Test against New Zealand at the Oval, which begins on June 17.
Harry Brook will lead England if Stokes indeed misses out on the game. The ECB have also delayed naming the squad for the second Test.
Speaking of Stokes, he’s no stranger to controversies. In 2017, he was involved in a late-night brawl in Bristol that led to him losing the England vice-captaincy, although he was cleared in court of affray.
Stokes then quit alcohol in 2025 in the hope of aiding his recovery from injury. However, in the aftermath of the Test at Lord’s, he revealed he would drink that evening with the rest of his teammates.
“I was obviously very, very happy that we won this week. I knew how big this game was in terms of the result and how it would be perceived externally if it didn’t go well. I probably won’t be really happy and smiling until I get up there and share a proper beer with the boys because I have to come here and do this, no disrespect to you media,” Stokes told reporters in the post-match press conference.