English all-rounder Ben Stokes joins NZ side Canterbury

Controversial English all-rounder Ben Stokes was on Thursday signed by New Zealand's Canterbury Cricket Association as their overseas player.

The fact that Stokes has been cleared to travel, added to the proximity of New Zealand to Australia, means that ECB will attempt to parachute him into their Ashes squad immediately after resolution of the police investigation.

His English teammate Chris Woakes, currently part of the Ashes tour party, had on Wednesday said that the English team is ready to welcome the all-rounder with "open arms".

England lost the opener of the five-match Ashes rubber by 10 wickets in Brisbane and are preparing to play the historic day-night second Test in Adelaide from Saturday.