England all-rounder Ben Stokes has labelled the allegations that he and his wife Clare was involved in a physical quarrel at an awards ceremony as “totally irresponsible”. The all-rounder played a crucial role in England’s World Cup win and in the sraw Ashes series. He was honoured for his achievements when he was named players’ player of the year at last week’s Professional Cricketers’ Association awards in London recently.
However, on Tuesday, pictures showed of Stokes and his wife was involved in a physical quarrel at the event. Clare Stokes, on the other hand, defended her husband in a Twitter post where a picture was included of her pushing the cricketer’s face.
“Unbelievable what nonsense these people will make up!” she said. “Me and Ben messing about squishing up each other’s faces cos that’s how we show affection and some pap tries to twist it into a crazy story! And all before we then have a romantic McDonalds 20 mins later!”
He also responded to his wife’s tweet with a kiss emoji. Ben Stokes later responded with a statement to the Daily Mirror newspaper that they share a “wonderful relationship”.
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“I have become used to people making stuff up about me, but of all the topics not to mess with, domestic abuse has to be at the top of the list,” he said. “It’s an incredibly serious issue for thousands of women — and men — who do suffer domestic abuse. To falsify and spread these kind of allegations so willingly is totally irresponsible. The way that this has come across is so far removed from what it was.”
Tom Harrison, England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive said in a statement: “We have spoken with both Clare and Ben, as well as others in attendance, who have all clarified the innocent context behind the still photographs taken at last week’s PCA awards.”
Last year in August, Ben Stokes was found not guilty of the brawl outside a nightclub but he was charged by the ECB and subsequently banned for eight games as well. Although now he has been a part of the England squad.
