Ben Stokes, who was arrested early Monday morning after a nightclub incident in Bristol, has retained his place as vice-captain of the England Ashes squad.

There has been much speculation whether he would be included in the touring party, which will play play five Tests in Australia between 23 November and 8 January.

According to local reports, Stokes stepped in after a reveller wielded a bottle in Mbargo, a club in Bristol.

An eyewitness said: ‘[Alex] Hales and Stokes were the last two out of the club. A man was threatening two people and evidently picked up a bottle. Stokes told him to calm down and to step away, and then the man started kicking off at him. Stokes, quite frankly, cracked him one and the guy was taken off to hospital.’

The England all-rounder apparently suffered a minor fracture to his right hand.

The two players were omitted from the team to play the West Indies Wednesday, but it has not yet affected Stokes’ place in the prestigious Ashes tour.

James Vince and Gary Ballance have been recalled as part of England’s Ashes squad. Somerset’s Craig Overton is one of three uncapped players in the 16-man party, which includes Stokes, who retains the vice-captaincy despite being under a cloud following his arrest in Bristol on Sunday.

Ben Foakes, Surrey wicketkeeper-batsman, and Hampshire leg-spinner Mason Crane are the other uncapped names who have made the cut. Toby Roland-Jones has been ruled out with the stress fracture of his back, and Mark Wood has been considered too much of a fitness gamble for the strains of bowling in Australia.

Squad:  Joe Root (Yorkshire, capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire), Gary Ballance (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Alastair Cook (Essex), Mason Crane (Hampshire), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Dawid Malan (Middlesex), Craig Overton (Somerset), Ben Stokes (Durham), Mark Stoneman (Surrey), James Vince (Hampshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).

Photo: Aijaz Rahi/AP Photo