Alex Hales: Nottinghamshire batsman coy about England Test return

Alex Hales' 187 not out at Lord's in July was the highest-ever individual score in a county final

In-form Nottinghamshire batsman Alex Hales says he is trying not to think about a Test recall.

The England one-day specialist, 28, has just scored a County Championship double century to add to some superb domestic one-day cricket displays.

Hales, who hit 187 not out as Notts beat Surrey to win the One-Day Cup in July, won the last of his 11 England Test caps against Pakistan in 2016.

"All I can do is score as many runs as I can," he told BBC Radio Nottingham.

Hales, who scored 218 for Division Two leaders Notts in their ongoing county four-day match against Derbyshire, said returning to Test cricket had not really crossed his mind.

"I have not really thought about it at all in the last few months," he added. "I have just been enjoying my cricket.

"And I am going to try not to let it cross my mind for the rest of the season. Hopefully I can just keep enjoying it and keep doing well for Notts."

Hales averages 27.28 from 11 Test innings, with a top score of 94

Hales also smashed 95 off just 30 balls in the T20 Blast against Durham on Saturday, while a new-look England batting order struggled for consistency despite earning a 3-1 Test series win over South Africa.

England coach Trevor Bayliss says the series victory does not "paper over the cracks" in his team, with the positions of opener, number three and number five still up for grabs.

A three-Test series against the West Indies starts later this month, followed by an Ashes series in Australia at the end of 2017.

Hales has previously opened for England in the longest form of the game, but prefers to bat further down the order. His run-a-ball 218 against Derbyshire came batting at number five.

Hales said: "All I can do is knock on the door. I think I get a couple of more four-dayers in before the winter tours. Hopefully I can do well in that and then there is a one-day series against the West Indies. I guess it is just up to me to score as many runs as I can.

"It's a great place to be when you are in a purple patch and enjoying your cricket. All three forms I am enjoying so I am going to keep riding the wave and hopefully keep it up until the end of the season.

"I have felt in really good touch and in really good order across my whole game. It is up to me to not be complacent. It's a big couple of months for Nottinghamshire."

Notts head coach Peter Moores, formerly in charge of the England team, believes Hales has the quality to return to Test cricket.

"I don't think anybody can deny he has the ability to to play well on the big occasion," Moores said.

"We have seen in the One-Day Cup final, we have seen it when there are big crowds at Trent Bridge and I think England have seen it in two or three extraordinary innings in one-day cricket.

"If they are going to look to give him another opportunity, he has now played some Test cricket so he knows what it is about and has had a chance to reflect on it.

"They know they will get a person who can respond to the big occasion and there will be no bigger occasion than the Ashes."