Ben Stokes and Alex Hales charged with bringing game into disrepute

Last month Stokes was found not guilty of affray after his involvement in a late-night incident outside a Bristol nightclub

Ben Stokes and Alex Hales have been charged with bringing the game into disrepute by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for their involvement in a late-night incident outside a Bristol nightclub.

An independent Cricket Discipline Commission was tasked with leading an internal disciplinary into last September's incident after Stokes was found not guilty of affray following a seven-day trial last month.

The England pair will have to answer to two counts of breaching ECB Directive 3.3, which states: "No participant may conduct themself in a manner or do any act or omission at any time which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the ECB, the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute."

The CDC has ruled that disciplinary panel hearings will be held in London on Wednesday 5 December and Friday 7 December.

Last month Stokes was cleared of affray over a nightclub brawl that saw him knock a man unconscious.

The 27-year-old all-rounder punched Ryan Hale, 27, to the ground and then knocked out Ryan Ali, 28, during the fracas in the early hours of 25 September last year in Bristol city centre.

Stokes said he was acting in self-defence when he punched the two friends hours after England played the West Indies in a one-day international in the city.

Following a seven-day trial, the jury at Bristol Crown Court took under three hours to acquit Mr Stokes and co-accused Mr Ali of affray.