Daniel McHardy is joined by The Times cricket reporter Elizabeth Ammon as news develops banned English cricketer Ben Stokes is travelling to New Zealand and play for Canterbury.

The England all-rounder, who is currently banned from cricket as investigations continue into a fight he was involved in in September, has been spotted at Heathrow.

That sparked speculation he'd been called up to the England Ashes squad, but the ECB says he's on a family trip to New Zealand.

The Times of London says Stokes wants to play for Canterbury - his province of birth - in the upcoming Ford Trophy.

The report says ECB's director of cricket Andrew Strauss has told Stokes that playing for Canterbury would not breach his suspension.

Canterbury Cricket has now confirmed it has held "initial informal discussions" around Ben Stokes playing for the province in the domestic one-day and Twenty20 domestic competitions.

 

LISTEN ABOVE AS ELIZABETH AMMON SPEAKS WITH DANIEL MCHARDY