England opener Alex Hales happy to be back with CPL champions Barbados Tridents
The English opener is very excited to be back at the CPL but is conscious that he wants to improve on the performances he put in during last season.
“I am really happy. Obviously last year, personally I didn’t perform anywhere near the level I wanted to and I know I am capable of, so for them to put their faith in me again is really, really pleasing. When you win a title like that, I guess you want to keep as many of the guys together,” he said.
“We had such a good environment there, led incredibly well by Jason Holder and Phi Simmons. The combination of those two was so chilled out which is exactly what you need in T20 cricket. I am really looking forward to it; CPL is a great competition and held in high regard around the world in terms of standard. To get another crack, another bite of the cherry, is a great opportunity.”
Hales was really impressed with the CPL in his first season at the tournament and says he would like to be involved for as long as he can be. He says the talent and passion on show are fantastic to be around.
“Some of the Caribbean players are some of the most talented cricketers I have been around anywhere in the world. Also, the love of the game, the team Barbados had was something I had never quite experienced,” he said.
“The highs of winning games, and then we lost a couple of games and everyone was devastated. The love and passion that everyone has there is second-to-none. Personally, if I can improve on what I did last year it is a tournament I would love to be involved with for the rest of my career.”
The Tridents have retained the core of their squad from the 2019 season and Hales says that finding that right balance between experience and youth was one of the pillars of the team’s success last year.
“From what I have found playing for different franchises, you need the right blend of experience and youth, and the more I have played the more I think experience plays a part in winning trophies. The young guns will win you games here and there along the way, which are important, but I think you really do need a mixture of experience when it comes to the pressure games,” he said.
“That is something we spoke about a lot in the Barbados team, it is keeping that cool head. I think experience when it comes to the pressure moments and the big games in tournaments really helps you win those games at the right time.”