Blasts of anger still linger in the air as Lord Ian Botham unleashes a scathing broadside against England Test captain Ben Stokes, who's landed himself in hot water after breaching a team curfew. The all-rounder, along with pace bowler Gus Atkinson, has been stood down from the second Test against New Zealand, with both facing investigations by the ECB and Cricket Regulator.
The incident unfolded like a nightmare scenario in a London nightclub, where Stokes, 35, and Atkinson, 28, were partying hard after their Lord's victory. Reports suggest they were on the scene when a member of England's security personnel was allegedly struck by a Saracens rugby player – all happening after the midnight curfew that's supposed to keep players in check.
On an upcoming episode of the 'Stick to Cricket' podcast, Botham, Durham president and former England skipper with 5,200 Test runs and 383 wickets under his belt, let rip. "Some people just don't learn, do they?" he thundered, drawing parallels to Stokes' past problems in Bristol back in 2017. "I don't see how you can justify what happened after the game [at Lord's], especially when you're supposed to be leading by example and keeping your teammates in line."
The curfew was introduced after a previous incident during the 2025-26 Ashes tour, which England lost 4-1. Botham recalled his own generation's approach to socialising: "We used to love going out for a drink, but we weren't quite so obvious about it." Now, he says current players seem more prone to making headlines off the pitch.
Stokes has been included in Durham's County Championship squad against Northamptonshire this Friday, but his long-term England future hangs precariously in the balance. Botham reckons Stokes might even walk away from the game entirely if he loses the captaincy: "To be honest with you, it was an unnecessary procedure and one that I think he'll regret for a long time."
Source: Stick to Cricket podcast