Hales, the former England opener, is set to miss six of Notts Outlaws' Blast matches after signing up for the Lanka Premier League, which is set to run through the first three weeks of July
Nottinghamshire have little option but to accept Alex Hales' absence from the second half of the T20 Blast group stage, according to the county's head coach, Peter Moores.
Hales, the former England opener, is set to miss six of Notts Outlaws' Blast matches after signing up for the Lanka Premier League, which is set to run through the first three weeks of July.
The 35-year-old had been linked with a Major League Cricket deal when he first signed a contract extension at Trent Bridge in February, which would also have ruled him out for a portion of the English domestic tournament.
"I don't think it's difficult because it's not our choice really," Moores told the first episode of The Cricketer's County Conversation podcast.
"Players have the choice now, the players decide. And they have so much choice, there are so many leagues around. I think you want to have your best players all the time, but there is a reality to it.
"So, everything is a negotiation. I think the fact we have Alex at the start for the first eight and then we get him back if we do qualify for the latter stages, means it's a really good equation for us."
Moores says Hales' decision was out of Notts' hands (Getty Images)
He added: "Alex is part of us, you know. He plays all over the world, but he calls us home. Because we are home, and that makes it a bit different for him. It's a tournament he loves playing in, I think a couple of years ago Alex was voted the No.1 Blast player by fans.
"So, he has a real affinity to the Blast and to us, so we love having him and we will miss him. But in some ways, it will also create a chance for two or three of our young players to get a chance, which is great."
In a club statement released when the Lanka Premier League deal was announced, Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire's director of cricket, acknowledged that Hales "is an in-demand player and we have to respect that he has earned the right to play in global competitions at this stage of his career". He is also among the players listed for the T10 tournament set to take place in Aberdeen in August.
This year's knockout phase of the Blast takes place entirely in September, with the major matchdays across the summer pushed back by the T20 World Cup, which takes place in June.
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