Hales hits timely double-hundred to boost hopes of Test recall

London, August 7: Alex Hales sent a timely message to England's selectors on Monday (August 7) by thumping 218 from as many balls for Nottinghamshire on day two of their County Championship match against Derbyshire.

Hales' fine performances in recent weeks have prompted talk of a potential Test recall for the batsman, particularly with the likes of Keaton Jennings and Dawid Malan failing to convince in the series against South Africa.

A stunning unbeaten 187 from Hales at the start of July helped Nottinghamshire to win the One-Day Cup and the 28-year-old then followed up a 45-ball Twenty20 hundred by blasting 95 from 30 balls in the shortest format against Durham on Saturday.

That form was transferred to the red-ball format on Monday as Hales, batting at number five, hit 38 fours and one six in a dominating innings for his county.

Although Hales opened the batting in his 11 previous Test outings between December 2015 and August 2016, scoring 573 runs at an average of 27, his success in the middle-order for Notts could see him called upon to fulfil a similar role for England.

The series between England and West Indies begins with a day-night Test at Edgbaston on August 17.

As Hales put Derbyshire to the sword, Joe Root's side were closing in on their series-clinching victory in the fourth and final Test against South Africa.

Despite England's success, serious doubts surround the international future of Jennings, with the opener having mustered just 182 runs in 10 innings since scoring a century on debut against India in December.

Source: OPTA