LONDON: Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson will face no further action over the nightclub incident that prompted their exile from missing last week’s second Test against New Zealand.

The Cricket Regulator’s ruling on Monday effectively clears the England captain and his team-mate.

A parallel investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board also abso­lved Stokes and Atkinson of any wrongdoing in an altercation involving Sara­c­ens rugby union player Totoa Auvaa that left a member of the England security bloodied.

The Cricket Regulator said: “Our role is to determine whether any participant or player has breached any applicable ECB Cricket Regulations.

“The investigation followed multiple lines of inquiry to gather and assess evidence in relation to the events in question.

“Having carefully revi­e­wed all currently available information, Cricket Regu­lator has determined that there is insufficient evidence to establish that any regulatory breach occ­u­r­r­ed. Accordingly, no further action will be taken aga­inst either player.”

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2026