Don’t Bet On England To Take Stokes Down Under Now

It’s one in the morning on the streets of a provincial UK city and some of the denizens are enjoying the traditional pastime of drunkenly thumping each other outside a nightclub. This scene is one repeated up and down the land weekly and would be of no interest at all except that the guy throwing the most punches is none other than Ben Stokes, English Cricket Team Vice Captain. Classic. The question is after his arrest should you still bet on England to win the Ashes?

This was supposed to be about England’s chances in the Ashes this winter, about how their performances against the West Indies have been adequate, when the weather let them, and about how Australia’s series against India is unlikely to prepare them for the onslaught of the English come the first test. I say supposed to be because it can’t be now. I’d forgotten that you can always bet on England to be badly behaved, and then Ben Stokes and Alex Hales went out in Bristol and reminded me.

Anyone in the UK gambling news headlines of their night out are just over-egging the pudding a little is perhaps missing the point, the headlines themselves are enough. English cricketers brawling in the street? It’s just not……er……Cricket. The fact that there’s video of the altercation (Britain loves CCTV cameras more that life itself) just makes it worse with the clip already viral. Their chances in Australia were already slim, but now you can bet on England having a much harder time of it down under.

Stokes And Hales Set To Miss Matches After Street Fight

The Ashes Cup (source: Fox Sports)

Stokes, the England test team’s vice captain, was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm, which is copper-talk for thumping someone, following the altercation and whilst he was released without charge remains under investigation, Hales having to go back to Bristol to provide further assistance to the authorities concerning the matter. He’ll now miss the final one day game against the West Indies in Southampton, although you can still bet on England to win that game at Bet365 despite his absence.

Whether England will win the Ashes with these two under investigation for having a bout of fisticuffs outside a nightclub at 1am in the morning is a different matter. The selectors have said neither one will be considered for international duty until further notice, and you can’t bet on England to do very well without such major figures in the team. Oh and if you’re in the UK gambling laws will be bent just slightly to allow them to play this winter, you might just need to quell that optimism. It’s on tape.

Bet On England To Win The Ashes 2017 At Bet365

Now Bet365 have seen the odds on England winning the ashes drift out to 3/1, and if Stokes gets charged expect that to drift just a little bit more, and whilst Australia still get just 4/9 and a draw 6/1 you bet on England to see a waning in the number of bettors willing to back them in light of recent events. This is actually a bit of a shame because as someone is bound to point out a brawl at 1am in the morning when drunk is probably excellent preparation for a test series against Australia in Australia.

Now if you like to bet on sports in the UK you’ll know that over the years many a sportsman has been brung low by his public behavior, and many of them are able to create a narrative of recovery and atonement that sees them quickly back where they ought to be. Doubtless Stokes and Hales will now begin this process in the media, although I’d not bet on England selectors being so easily swayed given just how few chances they’ll be willing to take on a tour they’re almost certainly destined to lose.