Lord Botham criticizes Ben Stokes for breaking curfew ahead of Test
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 18, 2026, 5:41 PM
Last updated Jun 18, 2026
Lord Botham condemned Ben Stokes for violating a team curfew while celebrating England's victory in the first Test against New Zealand. Stokes and teammate Gus Atkinson, who were out after the designated midnight curfew, face investigations following an incident involving a member of the England security staff. Botham, president of Stokes' county side Durham, expressed disappointment over Stokes' actions and warned that such behavior may jeopardize his cricket future. The England and Wales Cricket Board is conducting inquiries into the incident, and Stokes has been dropped from the ongoing second Test.
- •Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson broke the midnight curfew after the first Test.
- •Both players are unavailable for the ongoing second Test against New Zealand.
- •An investigation is being conducted by the ECB and the Cricket Regulator.
- •Botham criticized Stokes' behavior on a podcast and mentioned regrets over past support.
- •Stokes is named in Durham's squad for their upcoming County Championship fixture.
- 5:41 PMYahoo Sports — Lord Botham criticises Stokes for breaking curfew
- 5:31 PMBBC Sport — Lord Botham criticises Stokes for breaking curfew
"Lord Botham criticises England captain Ben Stokes for breaking a team curfew and says there is no way to "justify what happened".
"Lord Botham criticises England captain Ben Stokes for breaking a team curfew and says there is no way to "justify what happened".
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsJun 18, 2026, 5:41 PMLord Botham criticises Stokes for breaking curfew
Lord Botham criticises England captain Ben Stokes for breaking a team curfew and says there is no way to "justify what happened".
- BBC SportJun 18, 2026, 5:31 PMLord Botham criticises Stokes for breaking curfew
Lord Botham criticises England captain Ben Stokes for breaking a team curfew and says there is no way to "justify what happened".
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