Stokes set to make injury return for Durham

Stokes set to make injury return for DurhamImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Ben Stokes last played for Durham in the Championship in July 2024ByAdam LaniganBBC Sport, North East & CumbriaPublished5 minutes agoCommentsEngland captain Ben Stokes is set to play his first match since the fifth Ashes Test in Durham's County Championship game against Worcestershire.Stokes has recovered from the fractured cheekbone he suffered during an indoor session in February.Now the 34-year-old can begin preparations for England's Test series with New Zealand which begins on 4 June, with the four-day game at Visit Worcestershire New Road from Friday (11:00 BST).Durham head coach Ryan Campbell says that Stokes will be used in his normal all-rounder's role."He'll be bowling for us, 100%," said Campbell. "In one of the innings he might even go with the new ball, that's in our thinking." Australian North set to be England selectorPublished2 hours agoStokes has successful surgery on broken cheekPublished10 FebruaryStokes was last seen on a cricket field on 7 January, picking over the bones of England's 4-1 series defeat in Australia at the end of a chaotic and controversial tour.Just over a month later, in a session with Durham's academy, the Test captain was struck by a ball hit by a batter while he was stood beside the nets, causing a fractured cheekbone and severe damage to his face.That required surgery which has delayed his involvement in the start of the domestic season, with most of England's other Test players having already featured in Championship games for their counties.Stokes has not played a red-ball game for Durham for almost two years, but will be involved as the north east county looks to build on their strong start to the season in Division Two. And Campbell does not believe picking Stokes should just be about gearing him up for the Test summer."We've made it very clear, Stokesy is here as a...