England cricketer Ben Stokes has pleaded not guilty to charges of affray following an incident in Bristol last September and he will face trial on August 6th.
England cricketer Ben Stokes Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2018 www.photosport.nz
The 26-year-old all-rounder was not present at Bristol Crown Court and denied the charges via video link from New Zealand where he is on duty with the England squad.
Two other men charged along with Stokes also pleaded not guilty to the same charges.
England's second test against India at Lord's starts on August 9th.
The Bristol incident and the legal process that followed kept Stokes out of England's Ashes tour of Australia but he returned to the team last month for their one-day international series win over New Zealand.
England next play the Black Caps in a two-test series starting in Auckland on March 22nd, though they play two warm up games against a New Zealand XI before hand, the first of which starts in Hamilton tomorrow.
