ALEX HAILED

Morgan, who refused to pick the opener, has praised the explosive batsman and hopes he can fire England into T20 final

EOIN MORGAN has heaped praise on Alex Hales after his two explosive innings helped fire England into the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup.

And on a good-looking surface with conditions to suit in Adelaide, Morgan would be delighted if the opener could spark once more against India to send England into the final on Sunday.

The former skipper (right) refused to pick Hales as a matter of trust following his axing on the eve of the 2019 World Cup for a recreational drugs ban.

The Nottinghamshire star then failed to regain that trust, or force his way past the likes of Jason Roy or Jonny Bairstow and back into the side while Morgan was captain.

But after swapping his bat for a microphone as a Sky

Cricket pundit, the latter is full of admiration for the way Hales (right) has returned for England, scoring 52 against New Zealand and 47 against Sri Lanka in must-win games.

“I have been impressed with Alex,” said Morgan. “Both times in the tournament he has performed, it was in key periods of the game. The fifth over against New Zealand at the Gabba, where he took Tim Southee on, was a crucial because Jos Buttler hadn’t faced a lot of balls at that stage.

“Alex took on that responsibility and executed it. Then at the SCG he was outstanding. “Sri Lanka did not bowl all that well to him, but some of the shots were unbelievable.

“That on-drive for six down the ground was an incredible shot. He’s done brilliantly.

“I suppose the only thing that’s changed between the transition from one captain to the other is that Jos has had the bad end of the stick with injuries, so it’s a completely different circumstance.”

Morgan left an impressive legacy after revolutionising England’s white-ball cricket from 2015 to 2022. But now that he has left the dressing room, he is delighted to see Buttler doing it his own way.

“Jos has been brilliant and has been very authentic,” added the 36-year-old.

“He nailed every decision against New Zealand, which was great for the team.

“Since he took over he’s gone with decisions that he feels are right, whether it’s the balance of the side, the make-up of the team, how they want to play, he is making the calls and being true to himself.”

Morgan is enjoying the switch to commentary, saying: “There’s not one bit of me that wants to play in the final.”

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