Hales facing crucial games

● Batsman needs big innings to make his claim for a regular England place

ENGLAND V AUSTRALIA

Alex Hales has another shot at centre stage on his home ground but admits he may again be a bit-part player for England unless he makes big runs soon.

It was at Trent Bridge, venue for Tuesday’s third oneday international as England seek an unassailable series lead over Australia, that Hales hit a then nationalrecord 171 in an all-time high total of 444 for three against Pakistan in 2016.

Thanks to a vexed sequence of events – starting with his suspension last September following a night out in Bristol which left team-mate Ben Stokes facing a charge of affray – Hales has lost his opener’s slot.

Instead, he follows Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy – the new holder of England’s highest ODI score after making 180 in Melbourne in January – and acknowledges that when Stokes recovers fitness, his claims to any place in the order will be tenuous.

Asked if he may be dropped, Hales said: “That’ll probably happen, with my batting at three. That’s what happened when we went from Australia into the New Zealand series [last winter].

“It’s up to me to use these three games well and try to score as many runs as possible, [keep] putting pressure on those two.”

0 Alex Hales at a nets session ahead of today’s third ODI.

Hales accepts there is extra pressure on him, adding: “Obviously. I’ve got to try to get my place back. Those two have come in and done really well since the West Indies series.

“Jonny’s been knocking the door down for a few years now, and every time he got a chance, he took it.

“I guess now I’m in that position, where I’m on the fringe and any chance I can get, it’s up to me to convert big runs.”

Hales caused a stir with his winter decision to forsake first-class cricket in favour of white-ball only to try to fine-tune his preparations for next year’s World Cup.

Since then, he has made two ODI half-centuries – and for England, Nottinghamshire and Sunrisers Hyderabad, passed 50 just once in his last ten innings. He concedes