Chris Woakes says all-rounder Stokes will get a warm reception from teammates if he joins the England squad for ongoing Ashes series
England all-rounder Ben Stokes arrives in Christchurch yesterday. Pic/Getty Images
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A day after suspended English all-rounder Ben Stokes raised speculation of his possible participation in the ongoing Ashes by flying to New Zealand for a domestic cricket tournament, his teammate Chris Woakes said England will welcome Stokes with open arms. "As an England team we'd like to see him here. As a player, as a friend I'd like to see him here," Woakes was quoted as saying by BBC radio.
Chris Woakes
"No one likes to see what he's been through. Of course, we'd have him here with open arms, I'm sure. Ben's a world-class cricketer and he'd make any team in the world better so it'd be silly of us to not open it up for him to come into the squad." Stokes was initially named in the Ashes squad for the tour of Australia but was stood down following his arrest on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm during a brawl in Bristol during England's ODI series against the West Indies two months ago. Stokes arrived in New Zealand, after the England and Wales Cricket Board last week granted him a No Objection Certificate.
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