England captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson set to MISS second Test against New Zealand after breaking team curfew – as ECB launch probe into nightclub melee ‘involving Saracens rugby academy star’ that left security guard injured

England captain Ben Stokes will miss next week’s second Test against New Zealand after being caught up in an alleged incident involving a Saracens rugby academy player at a London nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning.

Last week Stokes, 35, said in a statement published by the ECB at 6pm on Monday that he was with teammate Gus Atkinson after breaking a midnight curfew that was imposed following last winter’s Ashes tour and remains in place.

Daily Mail Sport learned that the ECB security guard who was supervising the players was injured in the incident at the Rex Rooms in Chelsea, and that the first blow was aimed at Atkinson. A melee then ensued. It was learned that Stokes and Atkinson escaped uninjured.

Members of the Saracens squad were present at the end-of-season party and the club confirmed last night they were aware of an incident involving one of their academy players. Daily Mail Sport understands the row was not provoked by two cricketers drinking near a Kensington hotel in England.

However, neither player is expected to be in England’s squad at The Oval next week as the investigation continues; This means Harry Brook, who was himself the subject of a late-night investigation and was handed a £30,000 fine and a formal reprimand, will lead the team.

‘The ECB is currently investigating any breach of team protocols following the conclusion of the first men’s test against New Zealand,’ a statement from the governing body said.

Stokes and Gus Atkinson under investigation for breach of England team protocols

‘Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were in a nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning when an incident occurred.

We are currently seeking further information and an announcement regarding the squad for the second Test will be made in due course.

‘The Regulator of Cricket has been informed and we will provide further updates when possible.’

The regulator is an independent body that investigates cases of misconduct and will examine their conduct following England’s 115-run victory over the Kiwis at Lord’s, where Atkinson hit match figures of 7 for 39.

But it is the worst possible news for a governing body keen to clear the image of the England team being beaten 4-1 on the Ashes tour by losing 4-1 to Australia after Brook was punched by a nightclub bouncer in Wellington, a boozy mid-series break that has been compared to a stag party for the team in Noosa.

A late-night video of Ben Duckett in a Queensland resort was posted on social media, appearing to be drunk at the opening.

The ECB’s director of men’s cricket, Rob Key, investigated his time in Noosa but denied the team had a drinking culture.

But it later emerged that Brook was being investigated for being out late on Halloween night, just hours before the one-day international defeat against New Zealand.

Brook, 27, initially issued an apology statement making it clear she was alone on the night in question, but it was later revealed she was hiding Jacob Bethell and Josh Tongue.

He apologized for lying and all three became the subject of an investigation by the regulator. Brook and Bethell were issued warning notices for violating the player code of conduct. No further action was taken against Tongue, who was training instead of playing in New Zealand.

Members of the Saracens squad attended an end-of-season party at Chelsea on Sunday

During the white-ball tour to Sri Lanka and the subsequent Twenty20 World Cup, England’s players avoided late-night drinking in public, but mingled with fans to celebrate their victories in the bars of the team hotels.

On Sunday, Stokes told his post-match press conference that he was looking forward to sharing a celebratory beer with his team-mates in his home dressing room after putting a tough winter behind for the Test team with a quick victory in a sweepstakes at Lord’s.

Ironically, after breaking his cheekbone in a freak incident with Durham, he gave up alcohol for most of the winter in a bid to stay fit for the 2026 season.

The second Test starts on June 17 and England bosses Key, Brendon McCullum and Marcus North are expected to be told by Stokes and Atkinson that they cannot be considered in the circumstances.

In 2018, Stokes was cleared after a fight broke out outside a nightclub in Bristol following an England one-day international at the end of the 2017 season.

But it cost him a place in the 2017-18 Ashes and this latest installment will send him to the sidelines again.