Stokes gets nod to rejoin his country

Bayliss is under pressure after losing to Australia 4-0 and knows his team badly need Stokes back.Ben Stokes is likely to be in for a big payday at the IPL auction. Photo / Getty Images

Ben Stokes has been allowed to resume his international career partly because the England and Wales Cricket Board feared being sued for restraint of trade if he remained on suspension indefinitely.

New Zealand-born Stokes was yesterday cleared to play for England again and is expected to join the team in the country of his birth next month for the second half of a Twenty20 tri-series which includes Australia. England then play a five-match one-day international series and a two-test series in New Zealand. Stokes's first game is expected to be against New Zealand in Wellington on February 13.

The ECB's executive board made its decision over the course of several teleconference calls as chairman Colin Graves is on holiday in New Zealand. There was disagreement among the 14 members over the way forward. But, once they heard legal advice, the senior executive of Graves, Tom Harrison and Andrew Strauss were unanimous that Stokes should be made available for selection.

There was also pressure from the England team management. He retains the support of coach Trevor Bayliss, captain Joe Root and is a popular member of the team.

The ECB will be accused of double standards for suspending him when he was not charged and then clearing him to play once the Crown Prosecution Service had decided he should stand trial for affray. Stokes, who had a short stine playing for Canterbury while on holiday in New Zealand in December, was originally arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm. But when the CPS charged him with the lesser offence of affray this week, the board's stance towards him softened. When he said in a statement on Wednesday that he intended to fight to "clear my name", it signalled he would plead not guilty and opt for trial at Crown Court, which would further slow up the legal process. The ECB lawyers warned it could take up to 18 months for the trial to reach Crown Court and suspending him for that long might lead to legal action for restraint of trade by Stokes.

It would be costly to fight the case and the negative publicity it would attract, as well as the strain it would put on the relationship between the ECB and Stokes, were all concerns for the board.

There was also a sense that it would be too harsh to suspend him for potentially 18 months, especially as innocence must be presumed.

For Stokes, the decision is a massive boost. He can now return to playing cricket and will be desperate to make up for lost time. He will no doubt feel he let his teammates down by missing the Ashes series.

Bayliss is under pressure after losing to Australia 4-0 and knows his team badly need Stokes back. Not only does he balance the team as an all-rounder, his mere presence lifts the mood.

Root needs test wins as captain and having Stokes in New Zealand would boost their chances against a side who have a seam-bowling attack that commands respect in their own conditions.

New Zealand also offers a low-key return for Stokes, rather than parachuting him in for the rest of the Australia tour, where there would be more media scrutiny.

Stokes should learn over the next few days the date of his first court appearance. It could delay his arrival in New Zealand but his legal team are in the process of establishing whether he would need to attend any preliminary hearings.

The ECB decision will have enormous financial implications for Stokes. It is a sign of support from the governing body ahead of the Indian Premier League auction on January 27. Stokes will be the big draw and can expect a massive deal. But IPL sources have been quoted over the past few days that his uncertain legal position might put off potential buyers who feared he may have to miss matches because of his legal problems.

The IPL franchises will feel more assured about his immediate future and he could be the first player to smash the £2 million ($3.8m) barrier at the auction in Bangalore.

- Telegraph Group Ltd