'Insufficient evidence' against England pair in nightclub incident, regulator says

England captain Ben Stokes and bowler Gus Atkinson will face no further action after the Cricket Regulator ‌said its investigation into a London nightclub incident found ​there was ⁠insufficient evidence to establish they had ‌breached protocol.

The pair were ‌dropped from the second test against New Zealand over a curfew breach at the nightclub, where a member ‌of England's security staff was involved in an incident ⁠with a Saracens rugby player following England’s first-test win over New Zealand this month.

The England and Wales Cricket Board on Sunday recalled Stokes and Atkinson to the England side for this week's third test after an ​ECB disciplinary hearing found that they had breached "specific ‌contractual regulations" about players' conduct and behaviour.

England's Ben Stokes in action. File/Reuters

England's Gus Atkinson celebrates after the dismissal India's Shubman Gill during their fifth Test match. File/Reuters

The ECB said both players had received written warnings but were not ⁠blamed for the violence, noting that Stokes was not present during the violent conduct and that Atkinson was subjected to ​unprovoked ‌attacks but did not retaliate.

The Cricket Regulator, a separate ‌body from the ECB, conducted its own investigation into the incident.

"Having carefully reviewed all currently available information, the Cricket ‌Regulator has determined ‌that there is insufficient ⁠evidence to establish that any regulatory breach ‌occurred," the regulator said on Monday.

"Accordingly, no further action will be taken against either player."
England, ⁠who won the first test but lost ​the second, will take on New Zealand in the decisive third match starting on Thursday. 

Reuters