Ben Stokes will make his return to cricket after being dropped for this week’s second Test against New Zealand.
Stokes will play in Durham’s County Championship game against Northamptonshire, which begins on Friday.
Both Stokes and Gus Atkinson were dropped after breaching a midnight curfew following the series opener at Lord’s.
Rather than stepping away from the sport temporarily, Stokes will return to action with his home county and will feature in this week’s Division Two fixture.
“Ben sent me a text and then gave me a phone call and said that he really needed to play and wanted to play for Durham,” the county’s head coach, Ryan Campbell, told Sky Sports News.
He continued: “We’re always backing our players, and the guy needs to play cricket, so we are very welcome to have him here.
“He’s in our 11 and will take part tomorrow. He will have ball in hand or bat probably five or six with us.
“We’re still debating whether he should open the bowling for us but he’s going to be right in the thick of the action.”
Stokes will play in Durham’s County Championship game against Northamptonshire
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Stokes and Atkinson are both under investigation by the ECB following the incident.
The ECB said in a statement last week: “The ECB is currently investigating a breach of team protocols following the conclusion of the first men’s Test against New Zealand.
“Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were present at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning when an incident took place.
“We are currently seeking further information, and an announcement regarding the squad for the second Test will be made in due course.
Stokes and Atkinson are both under investigation by the ECB
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“The Cricket Regulator has been informed, and we will provide a further update when possible.”
A midnight deadline was introduced following an incident in Wellington before the Ashes, when white-ball captain Harry Brook was struck by a nightclub bouncer on the eve of a one-day international against New Zealand.
That restriction was initially implemented for the Sri Lanka white-ball tour in January and the subsequent T20 World Cup, continuing into the current Test summer under Stokes’ captaincy.
England were criticised for their off-field behaviour during their heavy defeat to Australia.
Stokes and Atkinson’s nightclub incident is the latest in a string of recent late-night scandals,
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Director of cricket Rob Key conducted an investigation into the Noosa excursion but rejected suggestions that the squad had developed a drinking culture.
He said: “I’m not going to lie, I’m very, very happy that we’ve won this week.
“I knew how big this game was in terms of the result and how it was going to be perceived externally if it didn’t go well.
“I won’t be really happy until I get to share a beer with the boys.”
