Ben Stokes included in Ashes squad

England all-rounder Ben Stokes was named on Wednesday in a 16-man squad for the Ashes tour to Australia after being arrested earlier in the week for an altercation outside a Bristol nightclub.

Stokes, England’s highest-profile cricketer and vice-captain of the test team, was held on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm in the early hours of Monday and released under investigation.

“We have provided (captain) Joe Root and (coach) Trevor Bayliss with a well-balanced squad with options in all areas,” said national selector James Whitaker in a statement.

Squad:

Joe Root (captain), Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, Dawid Malan, Gary Ballance, James Vince, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow(wicketkeeper), Ben Foakes, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Jake Ball, Mason Crane, Craig Overton