Ben Stokes jokes about working on his golf swing in New Zealand

The suspended England all-rounder Ben Stokes travelled New Zealand on Tuesday amidst speculation of dramatic Ashes call-up. There were ferocious discussions over him travelling down under after he was seen at Heathrow Airport with his kit. Though the murmurs were put to rest by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) soon who cleared that he was on a personal trip to the Kiwi nation to visit his parents. However, he joked about working on a golf swing in the country when the reporters insisted on the reason of his visit.

Stokes is serving the suspension following his alleged involvement in the brawl outside the nightclub in Bristol in September during the ODI series against Windies. His teammate Alex Hales was also with him during the incident and was also charged by the ECB. The Avon and Somerset Police are investigating the case and until they clear the cricketers, they will remain suspended. Also, there are speculations that they will come to the conclusion of their investigation in the upcoming days.

Canterbury excited to have Stokes in the team

Ben Stokes was excited and looking forward to seeing his parents in the South Island city he left when he was just 12. “It’s been that long since I’ve been back here, I’m 26 now,” he told reporters quipping about the golf when asked about the trolley full of cricket gear. There is every possibility that the 26-year-old could turn-out for Canterbury to play domestic cricket as early as this Sunday as his suspension doesn’t apply over his first-class cricket.

The coach of Canterbury Gary Stead was thrilled to have such a talented cricketer in the team and felt the youngster would learn few things from him. “The Ashes hasn’t been discussed whatsoever… There’s still a bit of water to go under the bridge. I hope from a coaching point of view we can make this work. We’ve got a pretty young team here and to play alongside a premium world-class allrounder would be great for them,” he told Australia’s RSN Radio.