Stokes acquitted

England cricketer Ben Stokes was found not guilty of affray in a unanimous decision by a jury in less than three hours of deliberations on Tuesday following a trial at Bristol Crown Court.

The 27-year-old -- whose co-defendant Ryan Ali was also found unanimously not guilty -- had been charged following a brawl hours after England played the West Indies in a one-day international in Bristol, southwest England, in September last year.

Stokes is in line to play in the third Test against India after being recalled to the squad following his acquittal. The New Zealand-born all-rounder, who took six wickets in the first Test victory over India, missed the second Test due to the trial.

"Ben Stokes will now join the England squad for the 3rd Test against India, which starts at Trent Bridge on Saturday," read the statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board.

His wife, Clare, cried when the not guilty verdicts were returned while Stokes closed his eyes with relief and then looked up.

Stokes shook hands with Ali on leaving the dock at the end of the trial that lasted seven days.

At the start of the trial the prosecution tried to amend the indictment and charge Stokes with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm but this was rejected by the judge.

And half way through the trial Stokes's legal team attempted to have the case against him dropped but this was also refused by the judge.

New Zealand-born Stokes said in his testimony last Friday he had a "significant memory blackout" but he was "absolutely not" an angry man who had lost all control.

Stokes -- who was with England team-mate Alex Hales -- said he intervened because 28-year-old Ali and his friend Ryan Hale -- who had been acquitted earlier in the trial -- had directed alleged homophobic abuse at gay men William O'Connor and Kai Barry as they walked away from Mbargo nightclub.

Hales, who was interviewed under caution but never arrested in relation to the incident, was seen on the CCTV stamping and kicking Ali in the head as he lay on the floor.

Stokes went out celebrating after beating the West Indies in a match in Bristol on September 24.

Stokes said he would have had a bottle of beer after the match, two or three pints at the hotel, five or six vodka and lemonades and then "potentially had some Jagerbombs" in Mbargo.

Ali, who is an emergency services worker, had drunk six or seven Jack Daniels and Cokes during his night out with former soldier Hale.

Ali who was knocked unconscious and suffered a fractured eye socket said in his evidence he remained in the care of a surgeon and still suffered from double vision.

He said his memory of the night was "incomplete" due to his head injury.

Ali recalled walking along the street with Hale, Barry and O'Connor, "having a laugh and some banter and the next thing I remember is having a tall blond man charging towards me".

“I just didn't want any trouble so I was backing away, trying to retreat."