“Cult-like madness”: Whateley stunned by England behaviour

England captain Ben Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson have both been left out of the second Test against New Zealand following an investigation into a 'nightclub incident' in a London nightclub on Monday morning.

Stokes and Atkinson were out after England’s first Test win over New Zealand at Lord’s, where an incident is said to have occurred between the duo and a Saracens rugby player.

Both Stokes and Atkinson have now seemingly been punished by ECB after breaking team protocols, which have included measures like curfews after Harry Brook was involved in an incident in New Zealand last year.

SEN's Gerard Whateley cannot quite believe the behaviour of experienced English players, wondering if enough has been done by the team's administration.

Whateley believes ECB director Rob Key, head coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Stokes should all be sacked.

“This England cricket setup is so far into this cult-like madness that it’s lost all sense of reason,” Whateley said on SEN.

“After The Ashes they convinced themselves they didn’t have issues within the team when they really obviously did. They all self-analysed and decided they should all keep their jobs.

“They put safeguards in place. Curfews for sporting teams are a really bad idea. But they’re safeguards.

“Then at the very first time of asking - this is the first Test match after The Ashes - the captain fails to meet the curfew and gets involved in an incident.

“Somehow or another there’s all this, ‘No, no, it’s ok, he can just miss one Test match’. They should all be sacked, all of them, from top to bottom.

“Where are the adults? Director of cricket, out. Coach, out. Captain, out.

“In what world do you celebrate a three-day win over New Zealand by going on a bender at a nightclub.”

Whateley added: “This is especially peculiar. It’s still a professional sporting environment and they seemed to have convinced themselves that it’s anything but.

“There are minimum standards that are required, there are disciplines that have to be adhered to, and then performance that has to match.

“They’ve lost sight of all the planks of professional sport. I’ve never seen a team like it. Everybody would have got sacked at the end of The Ashes when they tried to cover up for Harry Brook.

“It would have taken 48 hours after the Harry Brook scenario. It’s just crazy. I can’t think of a scenario like it.”

Former captain Joe Root will lead the team at The Oval in the absence of Stokes.

"The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) can confirm that, given the ongoing investigation, Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have not been made available for selection for the second Test against New Zealand, which starts at the Kia Oval on Wednesday 17 June," an ECB statement read.

According to the Daily Mail, an ‘altercation’ occurred with the rugby player, which was not instigated by the cricketers. The Telegraph added that an ECB security guard was left requiring stitches, while Stokes and Atkinson were not injured.

This latest incident follows reports of excessive drinking during England’s 2025-26 Ashes disaster down under.

The Telegraph originally reported that Stokes was expected to be given time away from the group amid the investigation.

Stokes was previously involved in a 2017 incident outside a Bristol nightclub that led to an affray charge. He missed the 2017/18 Ashes before being cleared the next summer.