'Probs will go to a pub': Ben Stokes posts cheeky Instagram story as team secure promotion in County

Ben Stokes shared a cheeky Instagram story after his Country team Durham secured promotion to Division One of the England's County Championship.Stokes missed the latest round of the Championship, but posted on Instagram after Durham’s win over Middlesex guaranteed them top spot in Division Two. “Probs will go to a pub,” he wrote. “Save yourself the effort of sending smart arse replies to my previous story.”Stokes, who retired from international cricket after the New Zealand Test series, was filmed leaving a nightclub in August while his Durham teammate Brydon Carse was being handcuffed by police. He was also involved in another nightclub episode in Bristol in June with Gus Atkinson and missed The Oval Test against New Zealand after an ECB disciplinary probe.Durham return to Division OneDurham were relegated to Division Two in 2025 after winning only two of their 14 matches in the top tier. They responded in 2026 by going unbeaten in 12 matches in the ongoing Division Two season and securing top spot with 230 points, 55 more than second-placed Northamptonshire, with two matches still to play.Their 93-run win over Middlesex confirmed their promotion, Wisden reported. Brydon Carse took nine wickets in the match, while Ben McKinney’s 184 helped Durham move towards victory.Durham are now on a six-match winning run. They have beaten Derbyshire and Northamptonshire twice each and Gloucestershire and Middlesex once during that run.Durham will play Worcestershire and Lancashire in their remaining two fixtures, starting on September 15 and September 24 respectively.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.