Durham coach Campbell backs Stokes amid England curfew probe 2026

Durham head coach Ryan Campbell fully supports Ben Stokes while the England captain faces an ECB investigation over a curfew breach.

County backing for Stokes Durham head coach Ryan Campbell has pledged his full support to England Test captain Ben Stokes, stating the club’s doors remain open for him. Campbell confirmed Stokes is in good spirits and actively training with his county side. Durham’s two matches featuring Stokes in May ended with one win and one draw. The 35-year-old could feature for Durham against Northamptonshire in their County Championship fixture on Friday. ## Campbell’s open-door stance Campbell emphasized his willingness to welcome Stokes back, saying: 'Our doors are always open for any of our Durham boys.' He added: 'If Ben happens to walk through it, I will definitely be waiting there with arms open wide.' The coach’s comments come amid Stokes’ omission from England’s second Test against New Zealand at The Oval. ## Curfew breach investigation Stokes is under ECB scrutiny after he and teammate Gus Atkinson breached a midnight curfew following England’s victory over New Zealand in the first Test at Lord’s. The incident has cast uncertainty over Stokes’ future as England’s Test captain. England head coach Brendon McCullum has not guaranteed Stokes’ captaincy status following questions about his role. ## Campbell’s defense of Stokes Campbell expressed frustration at the reaction to Stokes’ curfew breach, stating: 'Ben knows he made a mistake and broke the curfew, but some of the reaction has been a little over.' He shared his personal views on post-match relaxation, noting: 'I’m a bit old school, I like a beer after a game of cricket if you’ve got 10 days off but I’m not the coach, I don’t run that system.' ## Stokes’ training and county commitment Stokes played two county games for Durham ahead of the New Zealand series and has a '75% chance' of featuring against Northamptonshire, according to Campbell. The upcoming four-day Championship match could be Stokes’ final red-ball appearance before the Test series against Pakistan in mid-August. Campbell described Stokes as a competitor eager to play, adding: 'He put his hand up and said he made a mistake.' ## Stokes’ spirits and future outlook Campbell reported Stokes is in good spirits and back in training, working hard to prepare for his county duties. He stated: 'From what I’ve seen, he’s in good spirits, he’s back in training, working hard and the rest will take care of itself.' Stokes’ availability for England’s third Test at Trent Bridge, starting 25 June, remains uncertain.