England cricketers Ben Stokes and Alex Hales fined over Bristol nightclub incident
Written by News on 07/12/2018
England cricketers Ben Stokes and Alex Hales have been fined but will not miss any more matches following their involvement in an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September last year.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) charged the players with two counts of breaching its directive 3.3, which warns against behaving in a manner that could be “prejudicial to the interests of cricket” or bring “cricket into disrepute”.
Both players admitted both charges.
Stokes was fined £30,000, while Hales was fined £17,500, £10,000 of which was suspended.
Stokes also received an eight-match ban from England matches. He has already missed them, meaning he remains eligible for immediate selection.
Hales has been banned from six white ball, or limited overs matches, two of which he has already missed. The other four were suspended, meaning he too is eligible for immediate selection.
“I regret the incident ever happened,” Stokes said in a statement.
“I apologise to England supporters and to the public for bringing the game into disrepute.
“Although the disciplinary process is now over, I have learned lessons that will stay with me for much longer.”
Hales said there was “no doubt I fell below the high standards expected of an international sportsman”.
He added: “I sincerely apologise for putting myself in a position which allowed these very regrettable incidents to happen.”
The ECB has taken action despite 27-year-old Stokes being found not guilty of affray following a trial at Bristol Crown Court. Hales, 29, was not charged by police.
A jury acquitted Stokes after a seven-day trial which heard he was acting in self-defence during the incident.
Within hours of the court verdict, the ECB said the player would be included in their squad after being dropped during the winter Ashes tour to Australia when he was charged with assault following the brawl.
(c) Sky News 2018: England cricketers Ben Stokes and Alex Hales fined over Bristol nightclub incident
