Alex Hales: England batsman not expecting criminal charge, says lawyer

Alex Hales was awarded a central contract by the ECB when the list was announced on Friday

England batsman Alex Hales is not expecting to face a criminal charge over an incident outside a nightclub in Bristol in September.

Hales was interviewed under caution by police on Friday but released without being under investigation.

He had been with Test vice-captain Ben Stokes, 26, who was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm and released under investigation.

Hales' lawyer said he would be "surprised" if he faced further action.

Any decision on charges will be in the hands of the Crown Prosecution Service, but lawyer Ian Kelcey told BBC Sport he does not expect it to go any further.

Avon and Somerset Police declined to comment.

What happened in Bristol?

All-rounder Stokes was arrested on a night out that followed England's victory over West Indies in the third one-day international.

Video footage emerged which allegedly showed him in a brawl in the early hours of the morning.

In the aftermath, Hales, who voluntarily helped police with their enquiries, was left out of the fourth ODI along with Stokes.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) then announced Stokes and Hales would not be considered for selection until further notice.

Hales, 28, was not named in the England squad to tour Australia this winter.

Stokes was included in the squad before the ECB confirmed he would not travel to Australia with the rest of the Ashes squad "at this stage".

England's first warm-up match takes place in Perth on 4 November, with the opening Test in Brisbane starting on 23 November.

They were whitewashed 5-0 on their last tour of Australia but are looking to defend the Ashes having regained the famous trophy on home soil in 2015.