Stokes, Hales face England cricket hearing in December

LONDON (AP):

England cricketers Ben Stokes and Alex Hales face a disciplinary hearing in December after being charged with bringing the game into disrepute by the England and Wales Cricket Board yesterday.

The pair was involved in a street brawl outside a Bristol nightclub last September, hours after a one-day international against the West Indies. Stokes denied a charge of affray and was cleared following a seven-day trial at Bristol Crown Court last month. Hales was not charged.

However, an independent cricket discipline commission, waiting for the end of the court case, set the players' hearings for December 5 and 7 in London.

Sanctions by the commission can include unlimited fines or suspension and termination of registration.

The hearings fall between England tours of Sri Lanka and the West Indies. Stokes and Hales are available for selection.