Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey
Alex Hales Withdraws from England Cricket World Cup Squad
VOTE TODAY! Were England right in withdrawing Alex Hales from their international squads?
England batsman Alex Hales was forced to withdraw from competition at the upcoming Cricket World Cup. Hales was withdrawn from England’s preliminary squad in order to avoid any “unnecessary distractions” as the team prepares for the upcoming tournament. The England and Wales Cricket Board made the announcement on Monday.
Hales is currently serving a three-week ban for recreational drug use. Ashley Giles, the Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, said, “We’ve worked hard to create the right environment around the England team and need to consider what is in the best interests of the team.”
Giles added, “I want to make it clear this is not the end of Alex’s career as an England player. The ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) and PCA will continue to aid Alex and work alongside his county club Nottinghamshire to give him the support he needs, to help him fulfill his potential as a professional cricketer.”
Those interested in betting on cricket will know that England have a great chance of winning the World Cup. Most recent odds have the hosts listed around +225 to win the World Cup in the summer, which puts them ahead of every other team in the field. India (+250) is a close second.
Hales has been removed from England’s Twenty20 and ODI squads. The ODI team is set to play a one-off against Ireland, while the T20 side has an upcoming match against Pakistan.
The three-week ban came down because Hales tested positive for a second time for recreational drugs. Giles reportedly broke the news to Hales at the England training camp in Cardiff over the weekend. Giles, coach Trevor Bayliss and captain Eoin Morgan were in agreement on the decision to remove Hales from the squad.
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James Vince has been added to the squad in Hales’ place for the upcoming five-match ODI series against Pakistan, and Vince will likely be Hales’ eventual replacement on the World Cup roster. Dawid Malan and Ben Duckett have also been added to the squad ahead of the upcoming match against Ireland. Jason Roy was also removed from the squad due to a back injury.
While Giles said that Hales will be eligible to return to the England squad eventually, the cricketer himself is reportedly contemplating retiring from international competition. He was under the impression that his spot on the World Cup squad was assured due to his on-pitch form.
Hales’ representatives released a statement that said, “We are hugely disappointed in the treatment of our client, Alex Hales, by the ECB following his ejection from England’s preliminary World Cup squad. Nobody is seeking to excuse Alex’s behavior in this instance. He absolutely acknowledges and recognises he made a huge mistake.”
The statement continued, “But as part of the ongoing process, both he and his representatives have been involved in many conversations with senior members of the ECB over the past few weeks where Alex has apologised profusely for his actions. At every stage, Alex fulfilled his obligations and both he and his representatives were given assurances that any suspension – again under the ECB’s guidelines – could not affect his selection for the World Cup.”
Those in charge ultimately came to the conclusion that Hales’ inclusion in the squad could be too much of a distraction for the rest of the team as they continue to prepare for the World Cup. Morgan has been adamant in his demands for professionalism from his players in advance of the tournament, which is set to take place on home soil.
The representatives’ statement added, “The fact all those assurances seem to have been rendered meaningless has understandably left Alex devastated. Until the matter became public, the ECB had fully observed their own process and guidelines and given Alex the support and guidance laid out in those regulations. It is now disappointing to learn these guidelines seem to have been disregarded while, in this instance, player welfare would also appear to be low on their list of priorities.”
Some view the ECB’s policy on player discipline for drug-related offenses as being too lenient, as the player’s team is not even informed of a first-time violation.
It is not the first time Hales has found himself in hot water. Back in 2017, Hales was involved in a brawl outside of a nightclub in Bristol. A little over a year later, he was banned for four matches in connection with the incident.
Also read: Ranking each of the World Cup squads on paper from 10 to 1.
