Key considers imposing alcohol ban on England team

'Hard to defend' Stokes and Atkinson, says Rob Key

Director of cricket Rob Key is considering imposing an alcohol ban on the England team and has given no assurances Ben Stokes will remain Test captain.

All-rounder Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson will not play in the second Test against New Zealand after being involved in an incident in a London nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning.

It is the latest alcohol-related controversy to hit the England team in the past six months. Six of the XI who played in the first-Test win over the Black Caps at Lord's have been caught in late-night misdemeanours.

Following allegations of a drinking culture that dogged the winter, England introduced a midnight curfew, which was broken by Stokes and Atkinson.

And Key admitted he may need to take further steps for England to regain the trust of the public.

"Do we need to look at have we been strict enough?" said Key. "Even when they win a game of cricket, is it now a time when there's just no alcohol at any time and at any stage?

"I need to think through these things because I don't want to make a rash decision that hinders the team and creates a situation where they don't feel they can do anything.

"But the players now have to show the public they can be trusted. At this point it's hard to say they can."

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Stokes and Atkinson are the subject of an investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and have been made unavailable for at least the second Test, which begins on 17 June, pending the results of the inquiry.

In a statement released on Monday, the ECB revealed the pair had broken the curfew. It later emerged that 35-year-old Stokes and Atkinson, 28, were present when a member of the England security staff was struck by Saracens rugby player Totoa Auvaa. The member of security was left bloodied and required medical attention.

Asked by BBC Sport if he felt Stokes could resign the captaincy and retire from playing, Key said: "He has not intimated that to me."

On whether Stokes will play for England again, Key responded: "I don't see why not."

But on if Stokes will resume the captaincy, a position he has held since 2022, Key offered no guarantees.

"There are a lot of things to happen before then," said Key. "We've got to run the investigation, find out what happened exactly. We're in the midst of that at the moment. No decisions will be made until after that."

Pressed on the subject, Key replied: "We just have to let this play out. No decisions have been made on our side.

"We've not given him an ultimatum, we're just speaking to him all the time to make sure that he is alright. It's obviously been a traumatic time for him over the last few days. When things are like that you don't want to make any decisions. Time is our ally in this."

Harry Brook is Stokes' vice-captain in the Test team, yet the captaincy has been passed to Joe Root for the second Test beginning on Wednesday.

Brook, 27, was involved in a nightclub controversy of his own when he was punched by a bouncer in Wellington in October, the night before leading England in a one-day international against New Zealand.

And although Key said there were "many reasons" why Brook had not been chosen to skipper in the second Test, the former Kent batter admitted it would have been "pretty hard" to make Brook captain considering what happened in Wellington.

"That would be one of them," said Key, when asked if Wellington was a reason for Brook not to be elevated to Test captain. "That's not the main reason, that's for sure.

"I just don't feel it is the right time. That's a decision we came to. The Test captaincy is a massive job, even in an interim basis, especially going into this next Test match and everything Harry would have to deal with."

The scrutiny of England's off-field activities during the winter was compounded by some dreadful performances on the field in a 4-1 Ashes series defeat.

The ECB conducted a review into the tour of Australia, and opted to keep Key, Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum in their posts.

Stokes' record as captain - 24 wins from 43 matches - gives him the best success rate of any skipper since 1981, but the constant stream of controversy is overshadowing his reign and at risk of damaging the reputation of the game in this country.

Key denied this England team have become a "national embarrassment".

"Stokes and McCullum are two of the most successful coach and captain partnership we've had," said Key. "This is one of the more successful England teams and that's what I like to reflect on.

"No, I don't think they've become a national embarrassment."

The defeat of New Zealand at Lord's was a small step in the right direction for England following the Ashes defeat.

Yet, once again, Key has been left to explain the actions of his players.

Key, who played 15 Tests for England, said news of this latest indiscretion left him with a "sinking feeling, then anger, then disbelief".

And he said he shares the frustration of any supporters who have grown tired of the behaviour of the England team.

"I can understand how they feel, because that is exactly how I feel with this situation," said Key. "Here I am again talking about this. That is incredibly frustrating, so I can only imagine how they feel.

"There is so much work that Ben and myself have put in, so much time spent on the phone – I think the overriding thing was shock that it was Ben involved in this.

"All the things that we have been working on, every single thing, whether it's within the dressing room, within that side, all the work we've tried to do to reconnect the game - it feels like we've just been smashed in the face with that.

"When you look at what has happened it is hard to defend anything that has gone on at the moment. I believe that we are on the right path, and that is really hard for me to be able to prove. We will be judged by our actions going forward, as we are being judged now."

Listen to ball-by-ball commentary on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra. Live text commentary, in-play video clips and radio commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. Watch Today at the Test on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer at 19:00 BST (17 & 19 June), 19:15 (21 June) and 19:30 (18 & 20 June).

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