Ben Stokes is in contention to play for Durham in the County Championship this week after being stood down from England duty.
England’s Test captain and fast bowler Gus Atkinson were made unavailable for the second Test against New Zealand, which starts on Wednesday, for breaking a midnight team curfew earlier this month.
The pair were out celebrating England’s win over the Black Caps at Lord’s and were present when a confrontation involving Saracens rugby union player Totoa Auvaa occurred at a London nightclub.
The England and Wales Cricket Board and the independent Cricket Regulator are conducting separate probes but worries Stokes could resign as captain or retire from international duty altogether have subsided.
He returned to training with Durham on Saturday and the north-east county are now awaiting clearance from England to name the all-rounder in the side for their clash against Northamptonshire, beginning on Friday at the Banks Home Riverside.
Speaking after Durham’s win over Derbyshire on Sunday, head coach Ryan Campbell said: “With Stokes, we still don’t know for sure until we get told by England, but I’m thinking it’s 75 per cent he’ll be playing.
“That’s going to be an interesting selection decision.”
Despite the upheaval England are experiencing, Matthew Potts has been overlooked, with Sussex pair Henry Crocombe and Jofra Archer called up in place of Atkinson and the injured Ollie Robinson.
Potts has taken 36 wickets in 11 Tests but had a chastening last outing in last winter’s final Ashes Test, taking none for 141 in 25 overs before being unused in Australia’s second innings in Sydney.
However, he channelled any frustration he might have been feeling over his England snub by taking eight for 66 to finish with a 10-wicket match haul in Durham’s win over Derbyshire.
Campbell added: “When you find out you’re not going to be selected, you can go one of two ways.
“You can be down in the dumps, or you can be Matthew Potts and take eight wickets. It just shows the qualities of the man.”
