Stokes and Atkinson take wickets on county return for Durham and Surrey

Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson returned to County Championship action on June 19, 2026, following their recent exclusion from the England squad. Stokes secured 1-60 in 18 overs for Durham against Northamptonshire, while Atkinson took 2-33 in 15 overs for Surrey against Glamorgan. Both players aim for reentry into the national team ahead of the third Test against New Zealand. Durham struggled with dropped catches, finishing the day at 388-6. Stokes hopes to improve ahead of potential selection next week, with the ECB and Cricket Regulator wrapping up investigations into their nightclub incident.