Tuesday 9 July 2019 22:54, UK
Nottinghamshire batsman Alex Hales has apologised for the first time to his team-mates, family and friends for the drugs ban earlier this season that cost him his place in England’s World Cup squad.
Hales was speaking in an interview carried out by Nottinghamshire as part of a behind-the-scenes documentary the club have produced to launch the start of their Twenty 20 campaign.
In the documentary, coach Paul Franks is seen speaking to the team directly after a narrow win over Glamorgan last season, and previously unseen moments of the players preparing for games.
The 31-year-old says he is ready to get his career back on track following his 21-day ban for recreational drug use and insists he is totally focused on his cricket.
"We sat down and had a chat about what's happened, you know moving forward and, you know, we got a process in order and they were brilliant," said Hales.
"They asked me if I was ready to play and I just couldn't wait to get back out there and play. To be honest, that's all I want to do is get out there and play cricket.
"As soon as I walked back in to the changing room around the guys I couldn't have asked for more to be honest, everyone has been unbelievable.
"I just wanted to apologise to them for everything that happened. I got the point across that I had not just let myself down, I had let down family, friends, team-mates so I felt I had to get it off myself and tell the guys how I was feeling.
"Then to finish it off I wanted to let them know that I was 100 per cent focused on cricket now and I wanted to move forward and put those mistakes in the past behind me.
"That's how it has to be. I can't change what has happened, all I can affect is what is going to happen and just try to look at it in as much of a positive way as I can.
"I just have to crack on and try and make the most of hopefully a few more years left in my career."
