Ind vs Eng: 'Not guilty' Ben Stokes called up for third Test

Ben Stokes leaves court with wife Clare yesterday. Pic/PTI

England have added Ben Stokes to their squad for this Saturday's third Test after his acquittal at Bristol Crown Court. Stokes, cleared of a charge of affray yesterday, was not in the 13-man squad England announced on Monday to face India at Trent Bridge. But within two hours of the end of his court case, the England and Wales Cricket Board issued a brief statement which read: "Ben Stokes will now join the England squad for the third Test against India, which starts at Trent Bridge on Saturday."

An independent Cricket Discipline Commission disciplinary investigation into the behaviour of Stokes and teammate Alex Hales - which acts under the auspices of the ECB - was put on hold last September, while court proceedings took precedence. But in its statement, the ECB confirmed the CDC will soon resume its deliberations. It added: "Now that the legal proceedings have concluded, the disciplinary process for Ben Stokes and Alex Hales can be scheduled by the Cricket Discipline Commission.

"Considerable detail has been heard in this week-long court case and, in due course, there will be a range of matters for the board to fully consider." Stokes was cleared, alongside co-defendant Ryan Ali, following the late-night events 11 months ago - when a fight broke out in the street outside a Bristol nightclub. Stokes' solicitor Paul Lunt, in a statement read out after the England all-rounder was cleared, said: "Now that the trial is over, Ben is keen to get back to cricket being his sole focus."

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