Ben Stokes to play for Durham in County Championship on Friday

Ben Stokes is set to play for Durham in their County Championship match against Northamptonshire, which begins on Friday at Chester-le-Street. Stokes was dropped from England's Test squad after breaching curfew alongside teammate Gus Atkinson. Despite this, Stokes opted to return to his home county rather than take time off. Durham's head coach, Ryan Campbell, confirmed Stokes will be in the playing eleven and is eager to contribute. The ongoing situation around Stokes's future as England captain remains uncertain following the disciplinary incident.