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LONDON. – The uncertainty surrounding the fate of suspended all-rounder Ben Stokes is hampering England’s preparations for the upcoming Ashes cricket series in Australia, former skipper Andrew Strauss has said. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) suspended vice-captain Stokes pending an investigation into an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September for which he was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm.

He was released without charge but remains under police investigation. England have arrived in Australia without Stokes, who is considered vital to their hopes of retaining the Ashes following their 3-2 victory in 2015. The series begins at the Gabba in Brisbane on November 23 with the fifth and final test in Sydney from January 4

“The situation, in a word, is complicated,” ECB director of cricket Strauss told the BBC. There’s two different potential disciplinary procedures he has to go through, one is the ECB’s internal one and the other is any potential police action. Until we know more from the police, it’s very hard for us to put a timeline on anything . . .’’ – Reuters.