Ben Stokes spotted at Heathrow departing for New Zealand

The Ashes took another extraordinary twist on Monday when Ben Stokes was spotted at Heathrow Airport heading off to play cricket – but it is not yet with England.

Social media was ablaze when Stokes was spotted with all his cricket equipment heading for a plane in London but it quickly became apparent that this was not an unlikely dash to Australia.

Stokes was instead heading to his native New Zealand to see family and step up his recovery from the hand he broke in the infamous incident in a Bristol bar that led to him being suspended. 

Ben Stokes was pictured on Twitter on Monday night boarding a flight from Heathrow

Stokes has not played for England since being involved in a brawl in Bristol

Stokes has not played for England since being involved in a brawl in Bristol

It is thought Stokes will practise in Christchurch, where his parents still live, and is pencilled in to play a 50-over game for Canterbury which could be as early as Saturday as he aims to be ready should he get clearance to join England.  

But Canterbury coach Gary Stead told the New Zealand Herald that there was still work to be done for Stokes to play.

‘If it happened, a lot of water would have to go under the bridge,’ he said. ‘There would need to be New Zealand Cricket and ECB sign-off as well as our board, and being clear we were comfortable with that. We’re not at that stage.’ 

A statement released by Canterbury Cricket said: ‘Following the recent speculation surrounding Ben Stokes coming to New Zealand, Canterbury Cricket can now confirm that they have been in initial informal discussions with Ben Stokes’ representatives regarding his potential availability for Ford Trophy and Burger King Super Smash competitions.

‘Speaking on the matter CEO Jeremy Curwin commented ‘The CCA Board and New Zealand Cricket will independently be considering this issue in the near future but, until then, we are unable to provide any more detail on the status of the deliberations. As and when there are any further developments we will of course release further statements.’ 

Richard Boock, public affairs manager of New Zealand Cricket, said there was ‘an open mind’ on whether Stokes could feature.

‘NZC has yet to receive a formal request regarding Ben Stokes. However, we understand he and his representatives have been in discussions with Canterbury,’ Boock was quoted as saying by stuff.nz.

‘NZC has an open mind on this issue and will await further information before making a decision.’ 

But Sportsmail understands he is a long way off what would be an incredible comeback with England, who move on to Adelaide on Tuesday after their crushing first-Test defeat and the storm over Jonny Bairstow and an apparent head-butt. 

Stokes could feature for Canterbury as early as this weekend in a 50-over match

Stokes could feature for Canterbury as early as this weekend in a 50-over match

But Sportsmail understands he is a long way off  an incredible comeback with England

But Sportsmail understands he is a long way off an incredible comeback with England

The ECB have denied taking care of Stokes’ travel arrangements and director of cricket Andrew Strauss said yesterday that England are no nearer hearing whether he will face criminal charges for the Bristol incident.

Until that is decided England cannot begin their disciplinary process to decide whether he will come to Australia. It is understood there are no legal implications regarding his leaving the country.

It is a step forward for Stokes and clearly he wants to be in position to be able to travel easily to Australia should he be cleared this week. His mindset is said to be positive and perhaps this is an indication that he is expecting good news. 

The players have been hit with a midnight curfew after Jonny Bairstow’s bizarre head-butt on Cameron Bancroft.

Strauss insisted the players were not ‘thugs’ — but informed them of his decision at a sombre team meeting only hours after England had lost the first Test at the Gabba by 10 wickets.

Not everyone was thrilled with a ruling that essentially punished the whole team because of the behaviour of one man. But Strauss felt he had no option, and urged the squad to be ‘smarter’ as the Ashes tour threatened to unravel. 

England coach Trevor Bayliss claimed the incident, which took place in Perth on the first night of the tour, had been blown out of proportion, but said his players would be ‘extra dumb and stupid’ if they did not examine their behaviour. 

Andrew Strauss, England's Director of Cricket, faced awkward questions about Jonny Bairstow

Andrew Strauss, England’s Director of Cricket, faced awkward questions about Jonny Bairstow

England's players have a midnight curfew after Bairstow's odd head-butt on Cameron Bancroft

England’s players have a midnight curfew after Bairstow’s odd head-butt on Cameron Bancroft

Bancroft himself was all comic timing as he explained his surprise at Bairstow’s greeting in The Avenue bar on October 29, while Australian captain Steve Smith admitted his team used the episode to get under Bairstow’s skin.

‘It was basically about trying to get Jonny off his game,’ he said. ‘And I think it worked with the way he got out. He got caught at third man playing a pretty ordinary stroke. We were just trying to get in his head.’

Bairstow made a brief appearance to state that there had been ‘no intent nor malice’, but failed to explain what he was supposed to have done.

And with the Stokes nightmare so fresh in the memory, it was left to Strauss to answer a flurry of awkward questions. 

‘Jonny mentioned to me that he ‘bumped’ Cameron Bancroft,’ Strauss said. ‘That’s a greeting thing that he does with his mates. He assured me there was no malice, no aggression. And although I’m somewhat surprised he would choose to do such a thing, I’m taking him at his word.

‘As such, I don’t think it would be appropriate for us to launch disciplinary proceedings. I have clearly reminded him of his responsibilities as an England cricketer, and he has seen at first hand how, in an Ashes series, small issues can become bigger.

‘The players need to be smarter. They are intelligent adults, and at times they are not using that intelligence in the right way.

‘These guys are not thugs. These are good, honest, hard-working cricketers who sacrifice a lot to play for England, and I will back them to the hilt because I know them.’

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