AFP, London :
England captain Eoin Morgan has accused disgraced Alex Hales of “complete disregard” for team values following the Nottinghamshire batsman’s exile from the tournament hosts’ World Cup squad.
Hales was dropped from all England squads, including the provisional 15-man party for the World Cup, after reportedly failing a second test for recreational drugs.
But England only decided to send Hales into international exile after a report of a 21-day ban from cricket was published in the Guardian newspaper, a move that led to suggestions officials were responding to media pressure rather than upholding a policy.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) insisted they could not go public with details of Hales’s suspension because of their own rules regarding the handling of drugs offences, meaning Morgan, selection chief Ed Smith and coach Trevor Bayliss were unaware of any problems when England named their provisional squad last month.
Morgan, speaking ahead of England’s season-opening one-day international away to Ireland on Friday, did not pull any punches when asked about Hales’s conduct.
England captain Eoin Morgan has accused disgraced Alex Hales of “complete disregard” for team values following the Nottinghamshire batsman’s exile from the tournament hosts’ World Cup squad.
Hales was dropped from all England squads, including the provisional 15-man party for the World Cup, after reportedly failing a second test for recreational drugs.
But England only decided to send Hales into international exile after a report of a 21-day ban from cricket was published in the Guardian newspaper, a move that led to suggestions officials were responding to media pressure rather than upholding a policy.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) insisted they could not go public with details of Hales’s suspension because of their own rules regarding the handling of drugs offences, meaning Morgan, selection chief Ed Smith and coach Trevor Bayliss were unaware of any problems when England named their provisional squad last month.
Morgan, speaking ahead of England’s season-opening one-day international away to Ireland on Friday, did not pull any punches when asked about Hales’s conduct.
