Hales weighs up Bangladesh options
AFP
AFP, NOTTINGHAM: Alex Hales has accepted he could be risking his England place if he pulls out of the forthcoming tour of Bangladesh.
The future of the tour was called into question after an attack on a Dhaka cafe last month saw 20 -- mostly foreign -- hostages killed, with the Islamic State group claiming responsibility.
However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said last week that the tour, which includes three one-day international and two Test match fixtures in October and November, would go ahead as planned.
The confirmation followed a visit to Bangladesh by an ECB delegation, led by their long-serving security chief Reg Dickason.
However, no England player has yet publicly confirmed their willingness to tour Bangladesh.
Meanwhile several British media reports have suggested that England limited overs captain Eoin Morgan is among those with ongoing security concerns.
Nottinghamshire opener Hales returned to form with an England ODI record 171 as England went an unbeatable 3-0 up in their five-match series against Pakistan at his Trent Bridge home ground on Tuesday.
But while his place in the one-day side appears secure, Haless grip on a Test spot is far less certain after a run of low scores.
If you choose not to go to Bangladesh youre risking your spot, particularly me, said Hales after a century that was the centrepiece of a new ODI world record total of 444 for three.
Im still uncertain as to what to do.
Its going to be some tough decision to make in the next week or so.
Meanwhile Chris Woakes has joined the likes of Hales, Jos Buttler and Liam Plunkett in refusing to commit himself, at this stage, to the Bangladesh tour despite the assurances of Australian security expert Dickason.
Its a tricky one, he said.
We are having all the discussions with Reg, the security people, Straussy (ECB director and former England captain Andrew Strauss).
Im sure by the end of the series everyone will have to have made their minds up -- and Im in exactly the same boat.
