Alex Hales' return to cricket with Nottinghamshire delayed by rain
Batsman is now free to represent county after reported drug ban elapses
Friday 3 May 2019 16:40, UK
Alex Hales' return to cricket with Nottinghamshire has been delayed after rain caused the Outlaws' Royal London One-Day Cup clash with Durham to be abandoned.
Hales was named in the Notts XI at Grantham and due to bat at No 3, with his reported 21-day ban for using recreational drugs having elapsed.
However, the weather scuppered his comeback and prevented any play at Gorse Lane, meaning North Group table-toppers Nottinghamshire and Durham, who are now third, were forced to settle for a point apiece.
Hales will now hope to get back on the pitch on Monday when Notts visit Northamptonshire in the One-Day Cup.
The 30-year-old would have been set to play for England against Ireland on Friday but was removed from all of his country's white-ball squads, including their provisional World Cup 15, following news of his alleged drugs ban going public.
England's managing director of men's cricket Ashley Giles said of the decision to remove Hales: "We have worked hard to create the right environment around the England team and need to consider what is in the best interests of the team, to ensure they are free from any distractions and able to focus on being successful on the pitch."
Giles also revealed on Thursday that Hales would still be part of England's World Cup squad had news of his drugs suspension not broken.
Hales' management company said they were "hugely disappointed" at Hales' withdrawal, saying that after speaking with key members at the ECB that the batsman "took away the message his World Cup place would be judged on playing merit."
