Ben Stokes and Alex Hales' Cricket Disciplinary Commission hearing set for December

Ben Stokes and Alex Hales have been charged with bringing the game into disrepute and will face a Cricket Disciplinary Commission hearing in December.

The timing of the hearing means it will happen after England's tour of Sri Lanka in October and November - for which both players will be available.

The hearing relates to an incident near Mbargo nightclub in September 2017 that saw Hales interviewed by police and Stokes charged with affray.

The case was heard at Bristol Crown Court last month, where Stokes was cleared.

However, both Stokes and Hales could still be punished by the CDC, which is funded by the ECB but operates independently.

The CDC has the power to issue a range of punishments, varying from a warning to the termination of a contract.

The CDC announced Stokes and Hales had each been charged with two counts of breaching ECB Directive 3.3, which states: "No participant may conduct them-self in a manner or do any act or omission at any time which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the ECB, the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute."

The hearing will take place on two days - December 5 and 7 - in London.

Both Stokes and Hales were suspended by the ECB while police investigated the Bristol incident, resulting in both players missing the Ashes and one-day tours of Australia last winter.

The duo have since returned to the international fold, and are likely to be named as part of the squad to travel to Sri Lanka in a few weeks' time.