Cricket World Cup: England star Alex Hales hit with ban while wicketkeeper Sam Billings nurses injury

With the Cricket World Cup just around the corner, hard-hitting England opener Alex Hales has been hit with a ban for an ‘off-field’ incident reported to involve recreational drug use.

England batsman Alex Hales is serving a suspension for an ‘off-field’ incident reported to involve recreational drug use.

A Guardian report claimed Hales, named last week in England’s preliminary World Cup squad, is serving a 21-day ban from cricket for the drug incident.

The 30-year-old has been sanctioned under the England and Wales Cricket Board’s disciplinary policy for a second time, according to the report.

A spokesman for Hales confirmed the Nottinghamshire batsman had been suspended “following an off-field incident last year”.

Alex Hales has been forced to serve a 21 day ban.

The ban is a blow for Hales, who has been selected in the England squad for the forthcoming one-day series against Pakistan ahead of the World Cup.

Hales will still be involved with England’s training camp in Cardiff this weekend, with the team’s first one-day match of the summer coming against Ireland in Dublin next Friday.

“He will be joining the squad in preparation for next week’s games and will be available for selection,” the spokesman said.

“Whilst the issue is not cricket related, Hales accepted that it was right that he was suspended.

“He is now fully focused on returning to cricket and is committed to working tirelessly for both Nottinghamshire and England throughout the summer. No further comment will be made on this issue.”

Nottinghamshire issued a statement last week confirming Hales had “made himself unavailable for selection for personal reasons”, and “no timetable has been set for his return to action”.

As a consequence, Hales missed the start of the national One-Day Cup campaign.

Last year, Hales was suspended and fined by the ECB following his involvement with Ben Stokes in an incident outside a Bristol nightclub during September 2017.

Sam Billings has dislocated his shoulder.

Meanwhile, in another blow to their Cup preparations, Sam Billings has been ruled out of England’s limited-overs matches against Ireland and Pakistan with a dislocated left shoulder.

Wicketkeeper Billings was injured in the opening over of Kent’s One-Day Cup match against Glamorgan, his first appearance of the season for his county after a stint with the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.

Surrey’s Ben Foakes has been called into the England squad to replace him. Though not in the 15-man squad for the World Cup, Billings, who has played 15 one-day internationals, had been in line to face both Ireland in next Friday’s one-off ODI and Pakistan in a Twenty20 match two days later.

The 27-year-old now joins a list of injury concerns for head coach Trevor Bayliss which also includes Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy, and Joe Denly.