Alex Hales is being punished for something that happened nearly three years ago: Shane Bond

Former New Zealand cricketer Shane Bond reckons that England’s Alex Hales is being hard done by for something that took place almost three years ago. Hales is currently playing for the Sydney Thunder in the 2020-21 edition of the Big Bash League (BBL) under the tutelage of Bond. Hales last donned the national jersey in the T20I series against the West Indies in March 2019.

In April 2019, he was tested positive for recreational drug use. His name was also withdrawn from the preliminary squad for the 2019 World Cup. Eoin Morgan, England’s ODI and T20I skipper was clear cut in saying that the team wasn’t in any mood to trust the right-hander and he also iterated the importance “to create the right environment”.

However, Bond supported Hales, saying that the latter doesn’t deserve the punishment he’s getting at the present point in time. Bond also said that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) doen’t enquire about his well-being and whereabouts.

Bond backs Alex Hales  

“I’ve read a lot from the England camp about how it’s about trust issues. Well, if that’s the case, I want to know how they signed off on that because I’m still waiting for the phone call about how he’s going over here,” Bond was quoted as saying to Australia’s Daily Telegraph.

“Well, if that’s the case, I want to know how they signed off on that because I’m still waiting for the phone call about how he’s going over here. If you’re going to make it about trust then you need to do your due diligence and see what’s actually happening but he’s been here for two seasons and no one’s rung us from the ECB to ask how he’s fitted in and what he’s been doing,” he stated.

“I just think that’s really unfair because he’s being punished for something that happened nearly three years ago,” Bond added.

Hales is currently the leading run-scorer in the 2020-21 BBL. In 15 matches, he has 543 runs at an average and strike-rate of 38.78 and 161.60 respectively. Apart from three fifties, he also racked up a score of 110 runs against the Sydney Sixers.