Radio hosts 'reprimanded' for pranking Ben Stokes' mother

Matt Heath, who presents the show with Jeremy Wells, led Ben Stokes' mother to believe she was off air as she vehemently defended son Ben, when in truth her comments were being broadcast.

England's Ben Stokes was hit for four consecutive sixes in the final over of the World Twenty20.

A pair of New Zealand radio hosts have been "suitably reprimanded" by station bosses after duping the mother of England all-rounder Ben Stokes into an on-air conversation.

Deborah Stokes had called Radio Hauraki to challenge comments made about her son, who was hit for four consecutive sixes by Carlos Brathwaite in the last over as England lost the World Twenty20 final to West Indies on Sunday.

However, Matt Heath, who presents the show with Jeremy Wells, led Stokes to believe she was off air as she vehemently defended son Ben, when in truth her comments were being broadcast.

Stokes said she was "totally brassed off" during the conversation and described the pair's comments as "unconscionable".

"Matt and Jeremy are famous for identifying where the line is and then ignoring it, however putting Ben's Mum to air without her knowledge, albeit defending her son, was obviously well over that line," New Zealand Media and Entertainment group progamme director Mike McClung said in a statement to news.com.au.

"They've been suitably reprimanded, and are off-air tomorrow."

While some reports claim the duo have been suspended, others suggest Heath and Wells had already been due to miss Thursday's show in order to travel to Las Vegas.