LONDON: Ben Stokes and Alex Hales have been charged with bringing the game into disrepute by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) following a late-night street brawl last year.

The independent Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) was tasked with leading an internal investigation into the incident outside a nightclub in Bristol, southwest England, which took place in September 2017.

Each player has been charged with two counts of breaching ECB directive 3.3, which states: “No participant may conduct himself in a manner or do any act or omission at any time which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the ECB, the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute.”

Stokes denied a charge of affray and was cleared following a seven-day trial last month. His team-mate, Hales, was with Stokes during the altercation but was not charged.

All-rounder Stokes, whose co-defendant Ryan Ali was also found not guilty, had been charged following the fight hours after England played the West Indies in a One-day International in Bristol.

Stokes, 27, missed the second Test against India last month because of his trial but was recalled for the third match of the series following his acquittal.

The incident outside the nightclub saw England eventually decide against playing him in the 2017-18 Ashes, which they lost 4-0 after he had been removed from the position of Test vice-captain.

Stokes returned to international duty during the post-Ashes tour of New Zealand.

Big-hitting batsman Hales, 29, last played for England in the third Twenty20 match against India in early July.

The disciplinary panel hearing will be held in London on Dec 5 and Dec 7.

The CDC has a wide range of penalties open to it including issuing a caution, reprimand, a fine or suspension.

The hearing, which will be held in private and chaired by former first-class cricketer Tim O’Gorman, will take place between England’s two winter tours.

England will play three Tests, five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 International in Sri Lanka in October and November.

They are also scheduled to play three Tests, five ODIs and three T20 matches in the West Indies from January until March.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2018