Cricket Buzz: England's Stokes to delay NZ arrival to attend court hearing

Suspended England all-rounder Ben Stokes is to delay his arrival for the country's tour of New Zealand in order to attend his first court hearing into a charge of affray.

The 26-year-old Stokes was charged last week after a lengthy investigation into an incident outside a Bristol nightclub last September.

While he was included in England's squad for the Ashes tour of Australia and subsequent visit to New Zealand starting next month, he has not been available for selection due to the legal process.

An initial hearing was set for February 13 at Bristol Magistrate's Court, six days after England would have started a triangular Twenty20 series with Australia and New Zealand and the same day they are scheduled to play a match in Wellington.

"As has been confirmed in the media a first hearing date at court has been set for 13th February," Stokes said on his Twitter page on Monday.

"In the circumstances, I have decided that it would not be right to join my teammates until after attending court on the 13th."

The 26-year-old Stokes, who was born in New Zealand, has not featured for England since the incident but played six matches on a short-term contract with New Zealand side Canterbury last month before returning to England.

England also play five one-day internationals and two Tests on their tour of New Zealand.

England's Root to miss T20 series in Australia, NZ

Joe Root will miss England's Twenty20 tri-series against Australia and New Zealand so he can rest, the ECB said on Monday.

The 27-year-old England Test captain will return home for a break having played in every Ashes match and the first three one day internationals with Australia this month.

Root, whose team lost the Ashes 4-0, will miss the T20 series starting on Feb. 3, with England's first game four days later, but return for the first of five ODI matches against New Zealand in Hamilton on Feb. 25.

No replacement has yet been named for the T20 series, with Eoin Morgan, whose team have already secured an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match ODI series with Australia, leading England as limited-overs captain.

"I came into this tour wanting to play everything. I love playing for England and I don't like missing games of cricket," said Root, who suffered from dehydration, diarrhoea and vomiting because of viral gastroenteritis during the final Ashes Test.

"I had a long chat with (England coach) Trevor Bayliss about things and there's obviously a big summer ahead and a lot of cricket still to be played. It's going to be really important to make sure that I'm available for all of that.

"The decision has been made to have a little break. I'm sure when I'm at home I will be sat watching and willing the lads on."

West Indies to host 2018 Women's World T20

The 2018 edition of the Women's World T20 will be hosted by Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana and St Lucia from November 9-24, the ICC has announced.

Hosts Windies will defend the title they won with an eight-wicket victory over Australia in Kolkata in 2016.

Stafanie Taylor, who was named as captain of the ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year 2017, won the player of the series award in India and is expected to once again lead the Windies in front of a passionate home crowd.

The three venues were selected by Cricket West Indies through a bidding process and have been ratified by the ICC.

The preliminary round matches will be held at the Guyana National Stadium and Daren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia, while Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua and Barbuda will stage the two semi-finals and the final.

The hosts will be joined by Australia, world champions England, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka who have all achieved qualification.

The remaining two spots will be taken by Bangladesh, Holland, Ireland, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Thailand, Uganda or United Arab Emirates, all of whom will compete in the ICC

Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier in the Netherlands from 3-14 July.