Dubai-bound Hales has one eye on Australia ODIs
Alex Hales is hoping good performances in the inaugural T10 league in Dubai will put him firmly in the selection shake-up for England’s one-day internationals against Australia in the new year.
Earlier on Monday, Hales was reinstated by England after it was confirmed that he is no longer a suspect in the case involving team-mate Ben Stokes’ late-night fight in Bristol in September.
Hales had been due to feature for the Stellenbosch Kings in the Global League in South Africa, which was scheduled to start last month but was postponed due to financial concerns.
The opening batsman will head to the United Arab Emirates to join up with the Maratha Arabians – for whom his team-mates will include Kumar Sangakkara and Mohammad Amir – and he hopes his impact at the pioneering tournament will see him chosen to face Australia in five ODIs, beginning in Melbourne on January 14.
“It’s really important to get some competitive cricket in from my point of view. I’ve had a really quiet two to three months and enjoyed some time off,” Hales told Nottinghamshire’s official website.
“But I’m now looking forward, hopefully, to the ODIs in January, so it’s nice to get some cricket under my belt before Christmas and dust off some of the cobwebs.
“For the last few weeks I’ve been hitting indoors with Notts and doing my gym work and it’s not good fun but it will be good to get some games in now.”