After a tumultuous two weeks with Ben Stokes predictably beaten at the Oval, England now return for the series decider against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. cricket news

Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson made it after 12 o’clock. Shame England’s batsmen couldn’t do the same.

The captain and one of his bowlers got out at midnight after the last day of the first Test, mainly due to their teammates rolling before midday on the last day of the second Test.

Stokes and Atkinson’s Nightclub Feud – Although they seem smaller now – meant they were dropped for the Oval match and an inexperienced England were shown in their absence, thoughtless and skilful by a smart New Zealand side.

After England won the first match at Lord’s we wondered if the result would reset. After an error-strewn and instructive Ashes winter.

But after another drink-related episode, and another Test match tonking, it feels like a full-on repeat, except it’s a different Antipodean team that takes the drubbing away.

England lacked the equipment to compete at the Oval

As uncomfortable as the Oval’s devastation turned out to be, it was also entirely predictable.

Without StokesWith Atkinson, Ollie Robinson (knee pain) and Jamie Smith (paternity leave) and three debutants plus another fast bowler playing just his second Test and first in four years, England lacked the tools to compete.

It was the equivalent of entering a sword fight with a balloon cutlass.

Sonny Becker is bound in joy but lacks guile at times.

Fellow pacer Matthew Fisher took five wickets in the game but was often anodyne, his most telling contribution a stunning half-century from No.9 that reduced England’s first-innings deficit to 100 and momentarily dashed hopes of a spoils.

Wicketkeeper-batsman James Rew Suffered a tremendous send-off, Baie flew past him – most of them not his fault, granted – caught and no score.

Stokes’ stand-in as captain Joe Root presided over one Second morning ill-thought-out bouncer barrage That allowed New Zealand to plunder 100 runs in under 20 overs and almost took the Test away from England.

In Root’s defence, Stokes may have done the same to the lower-order players as the short-ball theory became a staple of the latter’s captaincy.

But 1) he may have acted faster than Root that it wasn’t working and 2) he didn’t leave Jofra Archer to graze in the outfield for over an hour while executing this bumper ploy.

The high-stakes Trent Bridge Test begins on Thursday

However, Stokes largely/partially blames himself for not being there. He has to wear that. The good news is that he will be able to try and fix the mess he was part of when he returns for the final Test in Nottingham later this week.

What England’s shellacking did in south London set up a tense series decider. For those of you who love high-stakes games, you are in for a treat.

An England win and a damaging and confusing fortnight will almost be forgotten. But a defeat and, well, the futures of captain Stokes, coach Brendon McCullum and managing director of cricket Rob Key will be on the line once more.

The intrigue would begin even before the first ball was bowled in the Midlands, McCullum, Who has spoken to the public a fair amount since the nightclub incidentDue to speak again on Tuesday, when no doubt he will be asked again if his relationship with his captain is as strong as it once was.

Then, on Wednesday, Stokes, who has not spoken publicly since the nightclub incident (England were banjaxed by the Black Caps when they scored 95 off 118 balls for Durham) will have his welcome-back media grilling. There will not be a single seat vacant in the house.

Stokes set to be grilled by media on Wednesday

In the captain’s press conference immediately after the nightclub episode, the prospect of Stokes being on the court looked remote. There were also reports that he would leave the captaincy. There were even suggestions that he might jack cricket altogether.

If at some point Stokes was thinking of a strict sporting regime, we still don’t know why. Was he upset at himself for letting his side down by breaking curfew – given how much of a party man he is, it seems possible – or was he upset at the lack of support from those above him despite what he had done for his country?

McCullum and Key had ample opportunity to support Stokes as captain between the first and second Tests, but is there a crack at not doing so?

Did Stokes come close to resigning? Did he even know that there was still a midnight cut-off for partying after a game?

What did he do in England’s 4-2 win over Croatia in their FIFA World Cup opener last week and regardless of their result against Ghana on Tuesday?

We can find out the answer to that question – probably not the football – and some more on Wednesday, but from Thursday it will be about the stuff on the field.

England could be back at full strength in Nottingham

With New Zealand now in the groove after a sloppy game at Lord’s, and everything around England remaining rather hazy, the hosts should have the weapons to win, potentially identical to the XI that destroyed the Kiwis in the series opener.

Stokes is back. Back to Atkinson. Back to Robinson. Smith returns. Shoaib Bashir – dropped at the oval – back (the spinner’s identity will increase the pathetic over rate if nothing else).

The Stokes-McCallum axis is also back but if things go belly up at Trent Bridge, you wonder for how long.

As always, all eyes are on Ben Stokes. After The Rex’s decision to ride Rumsey after the win at Lord’s plunged them into their first trouble, you wouldn’t hold back against him riding to the rescue and pulling England out of trouble.

Watch the third Test between England and New Zealand, at Trent Bridge, from 10am on Thursday (first ball 11am).ky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports main events. Get instant access now.

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