England captain Ben Stokes is set to return to county cricket for Durham after recovering from cheekbone surgery. Multiple reports say Durham plans to use Stokes in their red-ball fixture against Worcestershire, marking his comeback from a facial injury. BBC Sport and The Independent both report that Stokes is recovering and is expected to play the match, while other outlets add that he is “100 per cent” fit and available to bowl. Sky Sports also suggests Durham could deploy him as an all-action strike bowler, potentially with the new ball, rather than limiting his workload on return. The Belfast Telegraph echoes the “100 per cent” availability and describes an early impact as he starts playing again. A separate report from the Winnipeg Free Press adds that, during his injury comeback, Stokes bowls and completes a full spell, taking wickets and delivering 20 overs. Across the coverage, the common thread is Stokes’s return to Durham’s red-ball game versus Worcestershire following successful surgery and confirmation that he is fit to take a full part.