Ben Stokes is back in England's Test reckoning against India but must still wait to discover any further consequences following his affray acquittal.
England added their premier all-rounder to a squad of 13 for the third Test, which starts on Saturday, after he was cleared at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday.
The England and Wales Cricket Board also confirmed within two hours of the end of the case that the Cricket Discipline Commission investigation can reconvene into the behaviour of Stokes and his teammate Alex Hales on a night out in Bristol last September.
That process was halted 11 months ago while criminal proceedings took precedence and will not resume imminently, allowing all parties and their advisers to consider what was put before the court over the past week.
The ECB clarified the latest situation in its statement soon after a jury unanimously cleared Stokes and co-defendant Ryan Ali over events when a fight broke out in a street close to a Bristol nightclub.
It read: "Now that the legal proceedings have concluded, the disciplinary process for Ben Stokes and Alex Hales can be scheduled by the Cricket Discipline Commission...
"Considerable detail has been heard in this week-long court case and, in due course, there will be a range of matters for the board to fully consider."
Last September, England ruled Stokes out of the remainder of the ongoing ODI series against West Indies and then last (northern) winter's Ashes, before his return during the tour of New Zealand.
The 27-year-old stayed in the team this (northern) summer, apart from a spell out with a hamstring injury, until he had to miss last week's Lord's Test victory because of a clash with his court case.
He is now on course to help Joe Root's team again as they bid to extend a 2-0 series lead over India, with three matches to play.
Stokes' solicitor Paul Lunt, in a statement read out after his client was cleared, said: "Now that the trial is over, Ben is keen to get back to cricket being his sole focus."
Stokes' teammate Jonny Bairstow told Sky: "It has been a long 10 months for him and his family. I'm delighted and hope we can see him back in an England shirt very soon."
It is no given that will be this weekend despite Stokes' return to a squad from which he was initially omitted the previous day.
It contains a winning team, in which his Lord's understudy Chris Woakes put in a man-of-the-match performance and fellow all-rounder Sam Curran also consolidated his position.
Stokes' county club Durham, meanwhile, issued a one-line confirmation that he will not be available for their Vitality Blast fixture on Friday, at a time when he will instead be preparing with England in Nottingham.
There was a further statement from the Professional Cricketers' Association, pledging ongoing support as required by Stokes and Hales.
Share
