Forgotten Notts pair are back
BEN DUCKETT and Alex Hales have been busy making up for lost time in Pakistan.
And Peter Moores believes it is just the start for the previously forgotten men of Nottingham.
The pair have a chequered past with the national team.
Hales had been in the international wilderness since 2019 before this series, with former captain Eoin Morgan citing trust issues as the reason for his lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Duckett, meanwhile, had not played for England in any format in three years.
Now, after impressing in Pakistan, both look set to play a major part in white ball cricket under new coach Matthew Mott.
“I’m really pleased for both of them because they’ve both got different stories in many ways,” says the former England coach.
“Ben said to me before he went that he thought it was really the first time he was going on a trip and play for England when he was really ready to play.
“He knows his own game, he knows how he plays and he knew he could go in there and make an impact.
“That’s exactly what he has done. The rest of the world is now seeing what we’ve been watching for the last two years in the Twenty20 format.
“He’s very adept at manoeuvring the ball around the field. He’s calm when it comes to building partnerships as well.
“Alex, getting 50 in his first game back was a lovely way to start.
“He’s such a good player and he’s a good bloke to have around the team. He’s a bit misunderstood at times. He has great knowledge of the game, he’s definitely a student of the game.
“People like batting with him too because he’s another player who is very calm.
“Hopefully they can continue what they’ve started.”