England include Stokes for New Zealand ODIs

Eoin Morgan’s men will face Black Caps in five-match series starting from February 25 in Hamilton

LONDON: England included all-rounder Ben Stokes in their squad for the five-match one-day international series against New Zealand starting later this month.

Stokes is due to appear at Bristol Magistrates' Court on February 13 to answer a charge of affray following an incident outside a nightclub in September.

England are scheduled to play New Zealand in a T20I in Wellington on the same day.

Stokes, who has not played for England since the incident in Bristol, was cleared for selection by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) last month.

Fast bowler Jake Ball has been dropped from the squad along with batsman Dawid Malan who was called in as cover for Stokes during last month's 4-1 one-day series victory over Australia.

"Our ODI side has made excellent progress over the last three years and it's encouraging to see with the 2019 World Cup on the horizon," chairman of selectors James Whitaker said in an ECB statement.

The first match in the one-day series against New Zealand is in Hamilton on February 25.

England squad

Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.