LONDON: Alex Hales’s hopes of an international recall suffered a setback on Wednesday when England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan said it would take yet ‘more time’ for the Nottin­ghamshire batsman to regain trust following a drugs ban.

Hales was dropped from the World Cup squad shortly before last year’s tournament after it emerged he had tested positive for drugs.

England went on to win the event on home soil without him and he has not played international cricket since.

England, however, are set to name a training squad of up to 45 players on Friday.

That led to suggestions Hales, who has three of England’s five highest Twenty20 scores to his credit, was in line for a recall.

Morgan appeared to be in a less forgiving mood.

“On the cusp of a World Cup the huge breakdown in trust between him and the players was extremely dramatic,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2020