Alex Hales back in England squad for final one-day international against West Indies
Tuesday 7 March 2017 22:21, UK
Alex Hales has been passed fit for the third and final one-day international against the West Indies on Thursday.
The Nottinghamshire opener suffered a broken hand during England's tour of India in January but he has now been given the all-clear to return.
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He was cleared to join the squad just before the first game of the series but has not been used so far as England built up an unassailable 2-0 lead.
His availability could see a shake-up at the top of the England order with neither of their openers having been in consistent form so far in the Caribbean,
Jason Roy bounced back from scoring only 13 in the first match with a fine 52 in Sunday's second game, where Sam Billings was out for a duck after also making 52 in the series opener.
"Halesy has now been passed fit by the medics, and he's practised well over the last few days - so he's officially in the squad now for Thursday's game - which is good news," assistant coach Paul Farbrace said.
"We've got 16 people fit and available for Thursday.
"We always knew that Hales would join us. Even if he wasn't available to play, we were always going to bring him here so we had him as part of the group ... and continued his rehab in readiness for when he is.
"We see him as our opening batsman with Jason in the Champions Trophy - that wouldn't be a surprise to anybody.
"I think he has learned a lot from not going to Bangladesh, it gave him a lot of time to think where he wants to be.
"I think we saw a very different Alex Hales in India, and again here we see him every morning in the gym at 6am, working extremely hard, practising well and trying to get himself into the best place he can be."
The first two games of the series were played in Antigua, but the finale will take place at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.
