Hales opts out of Outlaws return

Former England batter Alex Hales will not return to Nottinghamshire Outlaws to play in the T20 Blast this summer.

The 36-year-old opener, who became the second-highest runscorer in the history of T20 cricket earlier this month, has played for Nottinghamshire for 17 consecutive seasons.

However, he has recently relocated to Dubai and has decided not to sign a white-ball contract with the Outlaws.

Hales said Trent Bridge was his "favourite place in the world to play cricket" and he would like to "return at some point" but looks set to take up franchise opportunities in the Caribbean Premier League and Major League Cricket instead.

He is the Outlaws' all-time leading T20 run-scorer, with 4,825 runs in the format, and has made a total of 25 centuries in Nottinghamshire colours.

"Given the current landscape of the global game as well as having recently moved abroad, unfortunately I won't be able to return this season," Hales said.

Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell added: "While he won't be joining us this summer, we are by no means closing the door on him making a return to Notts at some stage in the future."

Hales played 11 Tests, 70 one-day internationals and 75 T20s for England between 2011 and 2022.

He hit centuries in each of England's ODI world-record breaking innings at Trent Bridge, and was part of the team which won the T20 World Cup in 2022.