The English Summer of Cricket

[smuts]

Take the fight out of Stokes and you are left with half the player. It's that spark within him that gives him his edge for me.

Moeen Ali absolutely destroyed WI the other day with some brutal hitting and he is the most placid bloke out there.

I think Stokes oversteps the line between competitiveness and aggression a bit too much at times on the pitch personally which is to his detriment, especially when bowling.

The Sun is bang out of order for leaking that footage though.

[Nesticles]

The latest video might be the final nail in the ashes coffin for him.

I would go further, and say the fact that video has gone so public probably signals the end of his England career

[Hemel Iron]

I would go further, and say the fact that video has gone so public probably signals the end of his England career

I highly doubt it.

[westham,eggyandchips]

I would go further, and say the fact that video has gone so public probably signals the end of his England career

I highly doubt it.

KP was ousted for a lot less.

Stokes also has previous.

[Nesticles]

I highly doubt it.

There will be so much bad publicity every time it is even rumoured he might be in line for a recall

The video leaking is what will have done him, imo. It will be circulating always whenever his name is mentioned. Strauss and co will face too much pressure. Whether he was in the right or wrong, never underestimate how much our press love to bury our own.

[aaronhammer]

Our loss will be New Zealand's gain if he won't be selected by the ECB.

I see The Scum are going all out with another front page story about a video of him mimicking Jordan's son Harvey when he swore on TV.

[sendô]

I'd imagine the Sun will need to hand over the full tape and not just the bits that make Stokes look as guilty as sin... that is their main aim of leaking the tapes isn't it? Always attempting to bring public figures down in the interests of us common folk who love nothing more than to sit back and judge others...

What is it with the press in this country that seem to go out of their way to undermine our national sports teams ahead of big matches/tournaments?

Just let the police deal with it. He either gets charged or he doesn't. Let him do his job. He's a key player for us and we need him if we want to win down there.

[ironstu]

Does my nut in, he's just a normal bloke who happens to be very good at cricket. We've all had a few too many and got in a scrap, we've all had a laugh at Harvey Price calling bullies the C bomb on live TV. Not every who plays for our national teams have to be angelic role models, they are there because they are the best at what they do and that frankly is all that matters. For every Alistair Cook or Harry Kane, you'll get a Ben Stokes or a Paul Gascoigne. So ****ing what, we're not robots. Leave it in the hands of police, he will get his punishment, but it doesn't affect his ability to be one of the best cricketers England has ever produced.

[AnthraxDave]

Remind me again, what nationality are the family business empire who own such **** rags as The Sun?

[pablo jaye]

Kevin's still available....

Ha.... Slacking - I truly admire your persistence with KP and based on that truly hope that one day, there will be a situation where he is a shoe-in for it!!!! Not sure what the situation will be .... maybe as team captain of Question of Sport, or Celebrity Bake-Off??

[steps]

KP was ousted for a lot less.

Stokes also has previous.

KP pissed off Strauss, and undermined his own teammates to a rival team.

Slightly different to having a punch up on a boozy night out.

[westham,eggyandchips]

Remind me again, what nationality are the family business empire who own such **** rags as The Sun?

Oh come on,

Since when has the Sun ever been bothered by nationality?

If its a scandal its going in.

[smuts]

Liam Plunkett must be scratching his head that he stays home while Ball makes the plane.

[wolf359]

Liam Plunkett must be scratching his head that he stays home while Ball makes the plane.

Ball is pony, not even average. Plunkett has developed into a more than useful bowler who has his moments with the bat. Selection for the ashes is more than puzzling.

[smuts]

Romped it in the end. 140 odd for Bairstow. Roy coming back into touch as summer ends....

[westham,eggyandchips]

Liam Plunkett must be scratching his head that he stays home while Ball makes the plane.

Strange decision to take Ball IMO. Not sure I would've taken Plunkett either as he hasnt played any test cricket in years. Finn should of been next in line.

[badseed]

The video isn't great for the lad but not much in the way of context. But as a lawyer it's always worse when there's footage. Easy to undermine witness statements and the like but hard to spin punching someone who's seemingly acting the peacemaker and backing away. Self-defence has limits, and Stokes is obviously the aggressor at that point in time (regardless of how it started).

But as an Aussie I'll be bitterly disappointed if Stokes doesn't come out for the Ashes.

He's exactly the type of player perfect to spice up the summer. Many of us still have no great love of the Australian team, and whilst I still hope we win I'd much rather see a contest. I'd rather have a narrow 2-1 England win than a 5-0 Australian whitewash.

[dave_l]

He'll probably sit this tour out. He was stupid and should have controlled himself better when the bloke was retreating (easy to say from my armchair) but I doubt many would take kindly to some bloke coming at them with a bottle.

The Plunkett non selection is odd. Better batsman than Ball and certainly a better bowler in all formats.

[White Goodman]

Christ Stokes is a **** isn't he

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/41589080" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And thick as **** as well

[LincolnshireHammer]

"It was absolutely not my intention to offend Harvey, Katie or anybody else."
Right ok Ben!