Durham all-rounder Stokes was dropped for fourth one-day international against West Indies at The Oval - the venue for the Ashes squad announcement - after being arrested early on Monday in Bristol. That followed England’s win in the third ODI in the southwest city on Sunday.
Stokes, 26, remains under investigation after being released without charge. For the time being, he has retained his position of vice-captain to Test skipper Joe Root, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) cricket director Andrew Strauss told an Oval news conference.
“Ben did have an X-ray yesterday (Tuesday),” said Strauss.
“Early results are that he has got a minor fracture on his right hand,” the former England captain added.
“There are obviously more tests that need to be done, but the early indications are that he should be fit to play a full part in all the Ashes Test matches.”
The injury to Stokes’ right hand is believed to have been sustained during a confrontation that left a man in hospital.
A police investigation is unlikely to be concluded before England leave for Australia on October 28, meaning the incident could hang over Stokes for the whole tour. Moreover, Stokes is just one on-field offence away from incurring a potential two-Test ban under the International Cricket Council’s code of conduct. England ODI regular Alex Hales - an Ashes long-shot who did not make the Test squad - was also left out of yesterday’s match after being with Stokes on Sunday night.
The pair could be among several England players who face ECB action, with Strauss saying: “What I am doing is speaking to the players individually to get their accounts of what went on.
“They may be subject to disciplinary proceedings including Ben,” explained Strauss, the last England captain to win the Ashes in Australia in 2010-11.
England’s squad contained three uncapped players in 23-year-old Somerset fast bowler Craig Overton, 20-year-old Hampshire leg-spinner Mason Crane, who will provide support to Moeen Ali, and Surrey wicket-keeper Ben Foakes, 24, included as cover for Jonny Bairstow.
Meanwhile there were recalls for middle-order batsmen James Vince and Gary Ballance despite the pair’s struggles during their previous Test stints.
Vince was dropped at the end of the 2016 English season northern summer following a poor run of seven Tests that saw him post a top score of 42 in 11 innings against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
This season Vince is averaging a modest 34.82 in first-class cricket for Hampshire but England believe his game will be suited to Australian pitches.
Ballance only managed 85 runs in two Tests against South Africa at an average of 21.25 before he suffered a fractured finger.
Overton got his chance ahead of the likes of Mark Wood and Steven Finn after taking 43 Championship wickets this season. Essex batsman Tom Westley, who failed to convince at number three this season, was dropped.
This has been Root’s first season as Test captain, with the Yorkshire batsman overseeing home series wins against South Africa (3-1) and West Indies (2-1). But England national selector James Whitaker said: “A tour of Australia is the ultimate test for our squad.”
In addition to England coach Trevor Bayliss’s regular staff, there will be some new faces in the Australian’s backroom set-up, with former New Zealand paceman Shane Bond appointed as a fast-bowling consultant. Bond will fill the gap left by former bowling chief Ottis Gibson’s departure to become the new head coach of South Africa up until the end of the second Test.
Squad: Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Jake Ball, Craig Overton, Mason Crane, Ben Foakes.
Bayliss wary of England curfews after Stokes arrest
England coach Trevor Bayliss was cautious about imposing player curfews during the upcoming Ashes tour of Australia in a bid to prevent the sort of incident that saw star all-rounder Ben Stokes arrested. Stokes was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm in Bristol and dropped for Wednesday’s fourth one-day international against West Indies at The Oval.
Stokes broke his hand in the incident that took place around 2:35am local time (0135 GMT) in Bristol on Monday following England’s 124-run win in Sunday’s third ODI in the southwest city. The 26-year-old remains under investigation after being released without charge. Nevertheless, he was included in England’s 16-man Ashes squad announced at The Oval before Wednesday’s match. Stokes also retained his position as England’s Test vice-captain in a squad where Joe Root remains the skipper despite an incident that saw a 27-year-old man taken to hospital with facial injuries.
“What he has shown so far for us is that he is a leader within the group when it comes to cricket,” Bayliss told Sky Sports. “There is no denying that but I’m sure there will be some investigations going forward,” the Australian added. “But at the moment I am quite happy for him to be the vice-captain. Asked if he was “happy” England players were out in public in the early hours, Bayliss replied: “Definitely not.”
The incident has led to questions over whether England should impose a curfew during the Ashes. “Certainly we will be looking into that,” said Bayliss, although the Sri Lanka coach indicated he was no fan of curfews.
“I have been with teams before and we have had curfews and that doesn’t work either,” Bayliss explained. “Whichever way you go, a lot of the responsibility comes back on to the players.
“They are adults and they have to take responsibility. They are professionals. “
The other night a few guys being out was very unprofessional in the middle of a series,” he added.