British Television celebrity Piers Morgan has added an entwined in the Ben Stokes’ brawl after the fight footage was accessed by the England’s premium tabloid The Sun which has further forced the England Cricket Board (ECB), to launch an investigation by disciplinary action against the star cricketer.
“Stokes has told friends he was incensed by the homophobic taunts, then saw the bottle being raised and decided to defend himself,” Morgan posted on his official Twitter handle.
The English journalist Morgan in his series of tweets revealed the 26-year-old all-rounder was saving ‘two gays’ from the clutches of hooligans on the streets of Bristol in the wee hours of the September.
“I’m hearing that Ben Stokes intervened to help two gay guys who were being abused by yobs, one of whom was armed with a bottle,” Morgan added.
After enjoying the lucrative deal with ECB for rendering his services in the gentleman’s game, The Sun reported Stokes sent down around 15 punches in 60 seconds while bashing the 27-year-old man, who was later hospitalized for facial injuries.
“Stokes obviously regrets what happened, but apparently his view is: ‘They started it, I finished it. I was protecting those guys’,” Morgan added on Twitter.
The CCTV footage that has been supplied to The Sun further revealed Stokes teammate Alex Hales was also at the site when the incident occurred around Mbargo pub in England’s southwest city of Bristol.
“Stokes was stupid to be out boozing & fighting at 2.30 am. But if he WAS defending two gay guys from threatening, abusive, homophobic yobs?,” Morgan added.
(Here’s the Video: Watch: Ben Stokes Punching Men In A Street Brawl In Bristol)
Following the Three Lions’ Stokes, the outrage broke the internet, before his name appeared in the world media which further witnessed the social media was abuzz.
However, the Newick-born 53-year-old Morgan revealed massive news by turning heads of Stokes’ followers.
“Police are aware of Stokes’ version of events and are now trying to find the two gay men to corroborate what he’s said,” Morgan further added.
On the other side, Stokes is nursing finger injury after thrashing a man, as he revealed he is ‘devastated’ after the street brawl video surfaced over the web – to grab the eyeballs.
“Stokes has told friends: ‘The guy had a bottle in his hand and was threatening us. Was I supposed to wait until he smashed it in my face?,” Morgan pointed out.
As there is much to be done, if found guilty according to the Somerset police enquiry, Stokes could face severe punishment and is further eventually bound to miss out on England’s’ Ashes tour to Australia.
“People can obviously make up their own minds about the Stokes video, but his defence certainly raises new questions,” Morgan’s one of the tweets out of seven for Stokes.
The recent shocking claim from Morgan came after Stokes pleads for an apology before ECB while adding the fate of Stokes’ inclusion in Ashes 2017-18 lie with the ECB’s Director of Cricket Andrew Strauss.
The Durham-based Stokes played 62 ODIs, 39 Tests and 21 T20Is for England after making his debut in 2011.
Here’s the timeline of the tweets posted by Piers Morgan:
BREAKING:
I'm hearing that Ben Stokes intervened to help two gay guys who were being abused by yobs, one of whom was armed with a bottle.— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 28, 2017
2/ Stokes has told friends he was incensed by the homophobic taunts, then saw the bottle being raised & decided to defend himself.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 28, 2017
3) Stokes obviously regrets what happened but apparently his view is: 'They started it, I finished it. I was protecting those guys.'
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 28, 2017
4/ Police are aware of Stokes' version of events & are now trying to find the two gay men, to corroborate what he's said.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 28, 2017
5/ Stokes has told friends: 'The guy had a bottle in his hand & was threatening us, was I supposed to wait until he smashed it in my face?'
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 28, 2017
People can obviously make their own minds up about the Stokes video, but his defence certainly raises new questions.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 28, 2017
Stokes was stupid to be out boozing & fighting at 2.30am.
But if he WAS defending two gay guys from threatening, abusive, homophobic yobs?— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 28, 2017