Open-arms reception for Stokes: Bayliss

Head coach Trevor Bayliss has no doubt Ben Stokes will be welcomed back "with open arms" by the England squad when he returns next month.

Stokes has been absent from the international set-up since a late night incident in Bristol last September but, following his charge for affray, the England and Wales Cricket have decided he is once again available for selection.

He will link with the side for the New Zealand leg of the forthcoming Twenty20 Tri-Series, skipping the early matches in Australia, to end a five-month hiatus.

England lost the Ashes 4-0 while Stokes watched from afar and are currently seeking revenge in the one-day series, but Bayliss does not expect any awkwardness or resentment when the 26-year-old checks back in.

"I'm happy he's been made available, the players and coaches are looking forward to seeing him," Bayliss told the BBC's Test Match Special.

"He's a very popular member of the team and the squad. I'm sure they'll welcome him back with open arms.

"We're fully aware of why he wasn't available, that's fair enough ... it's just the way it was.

"We knew he wasn't going to be available. We set about competing in that Ashes series knowing we didn't have him. That's resigned to history now and we're looking forward.

"It was certainly something we'd much rather not have had to deal with but all credit to the players, once the games came around they were fully focused on playing.

"I've got admiration for those guys that they were able to see past that and get on the with the cricket."

Bayliss explained the decision not to draft Stokes for the start of the T20 series in Australia, denying it was down to the greater media circus he might face.

Instead, he indicated it was purely a sporting decision regarding his match sharpness.

"Hopefully we can get him some cricket somewhere as part of his practice going into the New Zealand leg. That'll be up to him," Bayliss said.

2017-18 International Fixtures

Gillette ODI Series v England

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Cameron White, Adam Zampa.

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

First ODI England won by five wickets at the MCG.

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood.

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final TBC, Eden Park, February 21