Alex Hales recalled by England for T20 World Cup

By Sports Desk September 07, 2022

Alex Hales has earned a recall for England's T20 World Cup squad, three years after his last international appearance.

The explosive batsman was dropped from England's Cricket World Cup-winning squad in 2019 after testing positive for recreational drugs prior to the tournament.

Then white-ball captain Eoin Morgan cited a "complete breakdown in trust" for Hales' continued exile.

However, Jonny Bairstow will miss the tournament in Australia having suffered a "freak" injury while playing golf, and Jason Roy remains badly out of form.

Those events have led to a surprise return for 33-year-old Hales, who will also be part of England's touring party for the seven-match T20I series in Pakistan, which starts on September 20. His last appearance was in a T20I fixture against West Indies in March 2019.

An ECB statement read: "Nottinghamshire batter Alex Hales has been called up to England's ICC Men's T20 World Cup squad as a replacement for Yorkshire's Jonathan Bairstow after a left-ankle injury sustained last week ended his chances of playing in the tournament.

"Hales, 33, who last represented England in March 2019, has also been added to the IT20 squad for the tour of Pakistan."

Speaking to Sky Sports on Tuesday, Morgan said of Hales: "There's one thing about Alex, his quality has never been a question.

"It's whether the team would like him in the side, or captains can trust him, or the coach, or the selectors.

"[England's men's managing director] Rob Key said he is available for selection, so that means he goes into a pool of players with the likes of Will Jacks, Phil Salt, Will Smeed, that sort of calibre of player.

"But there's no doubt he's extremely destructive and a match-winner."

Related items

  • 'A true gentleman' - Tributes pour in for former England manager Eriksson 'A true gentleman' - Tributes pour in for former England manager Eriksson

    Tributes from across the football world have flooded in after the news that Sven-Goran Eriksson has died, aged 76, on Monday.

    Eriksson, who was England's first foreign manager, revealed earlier this year that he had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.

    His former clubs, England and UEFA, have expressed their condolences, along with countless players and managers as they honoured the Swede's life and career.

    David Beckham was named Three Lions captain in 2001 by Eriksson, captaining the side 57 times under the Swede.

    "We laughed, we cried, and we knew we were saying goodbye," Beckham said.

    "Sven, thank you for always being the person you have always been - passionate, caring, calm and a true gentleman.

    "I will be forever grateful for you making me your captain, but I will forever hold these last memories of this day with you and your family... Thank you, Sven, and in your last words to me 'It will be ok'."

    Wayne Rooney was handed his England debut by Eriksson as a 17-year-old and described him as a "special man".

    "Rest in peace, Sven," he said on X.

    "Thanks for the memories and all your help and advice. Thoughts and prayers with all his family and friends."

    Eriksson led England to three major quarter-finals in his five-year spell as manager, at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and Euro 2004.

    He oversaw 67 games in charge of the Three Lions, with only Walter Winterbottom (139), Alf Ramsey (113), Gareth Southgate (102) and Bobby Robson (95) leading the team on more occasions.

    The national side published a tribute to their former manager, saying: "We are deeply saddened that Sven-Goran Eriksson, who managed the Three Lions from 2001 to 2006, has passed away aged 76.

    "Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. Rest in peace, Sven. You will be greatly missed."

    Eriksson managed 12 clubs, winning 18 trophies across his career, with Swedish side Gothenburg the first top-flight club he managed.

    He won four trophies during his three-year stay between 1979 and 1982, including the UEFA Cup.

    "We are so grateful for his deed, the one he did in IFK Gothenburg and for Swedish football," the club said in a statement.

    "We are also happy that we were able to thank him this spring, both with a match in his honour and by naming one of our stands at Gamla Ullevi after him."

    He also had spells in charge of Benfica, Lazio, Manchester City and Leicester City. The clubs sent their condolences, with Lazio holding a minute's silence for their former manager at training.

    Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who played under Eriksson at Notts County, Man City and Leicester, posted a heartfelt tribute.

    "It feels very strange to have to write this, and I feel like I've had to write too many of these over the years. It was only yesterday evening that I sat and watched the documentary about his life. And what a life! We have lost an incredible man to whom I owe a great deal," he said.

    "Sven was the first manager to truly believe in me and give me a chance at the highest level. He was the first manager to call me world-class, and he made me feel 10 feet tall.

    "He gave me my Premier League debut, brought me to Notts County, and finally to Leicester, where I enjoyed the best time of my career. It is a great loss to football and the world. I want to thank him for everything he did for me."

  • Bairstow and Moeen left out of England's white-ball squad Bairstow and Moeen left out of England's white-ball squad

    Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali have both been left out of England's white-ball series squad, with five uncapped players named.

    As Jos Buttler looks to the future, Warwickshire batting all-rounders, Jacob Bethell and Dan Mousley, have been given their first international call-ups for the three-match T20 series against Australia next month.

    Essex batter Jordan Cox, Hampshire seamer John Turner and Leicestershire left-arm bowler Josh Hull, who was named as Mark Wood's replacement in the Test squad to play Sri Lanka, have also been picked.

    The latter three will also be involved for the five one-day internationals that follow.

    World Cup winners Bairstow and Moeen, who have been regular fixtures in England's white-ball squad for over a decade, could have made their final international appearances after being left out of the squad, with Chris Jordan also being overlooked.

    Brydon Carse, however, has been recalled for both squads after serving a betting ban, while Saqib Mahmood returns for the T20 series after recovering from injury. Buttler will also be fit to feature after overcoming a calf injury.

    Marcus Trescothick will lead England for the first time against Australia after being named Matthew Mott's interim replacement.

    Mott left in July following England's semi-final exit to eventual champions India in the T20 World Cup, having also failed to help England defend their 50-over world title in 2023. 

    The first match of the T20 series will take place on September 11 at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton. 

    England T20 squad to play Australia:

    Jos Buttler (captain), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, John Turner.

    England ODI squad: Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Reece Topley, John Turner.

  • New York, Tarouba pitches used at Men’s T20 World Cup deemed ‘unsatisfactory’ by ICC New York, Tarouba pitches used at Men’s T20 World Cup deemed ‘unsatisfactory’ by ICC

    The pitches for the first two matches at New York's Nassau County Stadium during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, as well as the one for the semi-final between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Academy in Tarouba, have been rated "unsatisfactory" by the ICC.

    The verdict comes nearly two months after the tournament, which India won by beating South Africa by seven runs in the final on June 29.

    In those two games at the Nassau County Stadium, Sri Lanka were skittled out for 77 against South Africa on June 3 while Ireland were dismissed for 96 by India two days later.

    In the second game, a number of players from both sides copped were struck on the body as a result of the uneven bounce in the pitch. 

    Indian captain Rohit Sharma had to retire hurt as a precautionary measure after being hit on the upper arm by Josh Little.

    India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and Ireland batsman Harry Tector were also struck as a result of the nature of the surface.

    At the time, Andy Flower had said the pitch in New York was "bordering on dangerous," while former England captain Michael Vaughan called it "shocking."

    The venue in New York was readied in five months. Damian Hough, chief curator at the Adelaide Oval, was brought in by the ICC to prepare the drop-in pitches.

    But after criticism from various quarters, the ICC had acknowledged that the pitches there had been substandard and the short turnaround time between matches didn't help. New York hosted eight games in two weeks.

    Remedial work was carried out, and ahead of the following game, between Canada and Ireland, areas where grass shoots were growing under the cracks were covered with topsoil and rolled in to make the surface much flatter.

    The surfaces used for the subsequent fixtures in New York, including India vs Pakistan, where 119 beat 113 for 7, have been rated as "satisfactory".

    The bigger point of scrutiny, perhaps more than New York, was on the surface for the semi-final, where Afghanistan were bowled out for 56 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.

    The wicket was wildly unpredictable as some deliveries rolled along the ground while a few reared up from a similar spot.

    At the time, Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott was clear "that's not a pitch you want to play a semi-final on".

    Generally, surfaces at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy were a challenge. West Indies, who scored 149 there and defended it narrowly against New Zealand, were tottering at 30 for 5 at one stage.

    The ICC rates pitches, and outfields, for all international games on a scale of very good to unfit: very good, good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory and unfit.

    The surface at Providence for the India vs England semi-final was rated "satisfactory", while the Kensington Oval deck for the final between India and South Africa was rated "very good".

    The ICC was largely happy with the state of the outfields, with only New York and Guyana receiving "satisfactory" ratings, while the others were "very good".

     

     

     

     

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.