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6 years ago

Stokes scores 2 in first-class cricket return

Photo- Reuters
Photo- Reuters

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Updated :

England all-rounder Ben Stokes made only 2 runs in his first cricket since September when he turned out for Canterbury against Otago in New Zealand's Ford Trophy.

New Zealand-born Stokes, who batted at number four, was bowled seventh ball in Canterbury's 221-9 in 50 overs against Otago Volts.

Opening the bowling, he claimed 0-49 off nine overs as Otago won by three wickets in Rangiora.

He has not played since being arrested after an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said Stokes cannot play for England while he waits to discover if he will be charged by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

However, he can play domestic cricket in any country and signed for Canterbury after travelling to New Zealand to visit his family, according to a BBC report.

Stokes scored two through the off side before he was bowled via an inside edge playing back to slow left-armer Anaru Kitchen at the Mainpower Oval.

Although Otago collapsed from 175-0 to 198-7, they won with 15 balls to spare.

Canterbury will travel to Auckland Aces in their second match of the one-day competition on Wednesday.

Durham's Stokes was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm after an incident on 25 September in which a man suffered a fractured eye socket.

Stokes, who broke a finger in the incident, was released under investigation.

On 29 November, Avon and Somerset Police said it had completed its investigation and sent the findings to the CPS to decide if Stokes would be charged.

With a decision not to be made for several weeks, Stokes seems unlikely to play in England's current Ashes series in Australia.

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