By Chris Sandys, BBC News

ENGLAND cricketer Ben Stokes admitted throwing several punches at a man outside a nightclub in Bristol, a jury has heard.

The Durham all-rounder, who denies affray, has taken to the stand for a second day at Bristol Crown Court.

Stokes, 27, said: “It’s clear in my statements that I admit to throwing multiple punches.”

He is on trial alongside Ryan Ali, 28, whom the cricketer is alleged to have knocked out, outside the Mbargo club.

Ali has also denied a charge of affray while Ryan Hale, 27, was acquitted of the same charge on Thursday.

Stokes told the court he felt “constantly under threat” by Ali and Hale who he claims made homophobic slurs to two gay men, Kai Barry and William O’Connor.

But when questioned by the prosecution, he admitted “slapping” but not knocking out Ali or being very drunk.

He agreed he had had at least 10 drinks, including pints of beer, vodka and lemonade as well as “a few” Jagerbombs, which are shots usually mixed with energy drinks.

Under cross-examination by Ali’s defence counsel, he was questioned whether he had misheard what was being said.

But, he maintained Ali and Hale made homophobic comments outside the club in the Clifton triangle area of Bristol during the early hours of September 25 last year.

Stokes told the jury he was not “threatening or aggressive” towards the men.

“I’d say I was verbally saying ‘I don’t think you should be saying that to these two guys because they’re gay’,” he said.

He also said he could not remember the specific homophobic words used.

“As I’ve said I can’t recollect anything specific, but I’m very clear the words used were a homophobic nature.”

As the prosecution began its cross-examination of the cricketer, the jury was shown CCTV pictures from outside Mbargo, where he was denied entry.

EFFEMINATE NATURE
Stokes admitted trying to bribe doorman Andrew Cunningham with £60 to get in, but denied it was as much as £300.

He also denied being spiteful and aggressive or making derogatory marks about the doorman’s tattoos or throwing a cigarette in his direction when he was refused entry.

The court heard Cunningham perceived Stokes as “mocking” the gay men’s mannerisms” and mimicking “their voices and effeminate nature”, which the defendant refuted.

Stokes also denied being angry about not being allowed back into the club, where he was with fellow England player Alex Hales.

The court heard Stokes had first played with Hales in 2011, prompting prosecutor Nicholas Corsellis to suggest “you’d recognise his voice would you not?”. The defendant agreed he would.

But when Corsellis asked whether he heard Hales call out to him, “Stokes stop, Stokes no…”, during the incident, he said he did not.

“Did you not appreciate that the person who grabbed you by the arm was Alex Hales? Do you not remember he tried to grab you?” said Corsellis, to which Stokes said “no.”

The cricketer also denied feeling enraged when his friend Hales was “ran at with a glass bottle” by Ali.

Stokes replied: “Throughout this whole incident my whole focus was where Ali was and where Hale was, from the moment I was verbally threatened and my friend Alex was run at with a glass bottle.”

Ben Stokes’ attire, demeanour, speech and poise have all remained the same throughout several hours of giving evidence.

Most of the time he remained standing, with the occasional request to sit, which eases the back pain with which he is apparently suffering.

Many of his responses have been short and mostly themed around having little memory of the night he is being quizzed over.

Prosecuting, Corsellis asked: “Were you enraged?”.

“No, at this time my sole focus was to protect myself,” Stokes replied.

He was then asked by the prosecution whether he tried to retaliate against Ali after being disarmed by him, which he denied.

Corsellis asked: “Is it what we see on the footage – an angry man who has lost all control?”

Stokes replied: “Absolutely not.”

The trial continues. (BBC Sport)