Matt Coles and Ben Stokes have been sent home from the England Lions tour for disciplinary reasons.
Pace bowler Coles and all-rounder Stokes have been shipped back to England for unprofessional conduct in Australia. The pair were given written warnings before having to go to hearings and have now been axed from the squad.
The ECB released a statement trying to explain the situation.
“Both Matt and Ben have ignored the instructions given to them around their match preperation and recovery,” performance director David Parsons told BBC Sport.
The two players will now return to their county clubs. Coles plies his trade at Kent, whilst Stokes will be heading back to Durham.
The England Lions are the team that used to be known as England ‘A’. It is essentially a second string side for players trying to break into the first-team. The man who greatly impressed in England’s ODI victory over New Zealand, Joe Root, was captain of the Lions before being promoted to the full squad.
Both Coles and Stokes were playing key roles on the Lions’ tour and it would be suspected they wouldn’t want to be going home early. England haven’t announced who will be replacing the two players as yet.
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