Alex Hales is said to be “devastated” by his axing from all England squads in the wake of his drugs ban. Hales’ management company, the 366 Group, said they were “hugely disappointed” by the England selectors’ decision to drop him from the England squads for the World Cup and the lead-up matches. “We are hugely disappointed at the treatment of our client, Alex Hales, by the ECB following his ejection from England’s preliminary World Cup squad,” the company said in a statement. “Nobody is seeking to excuse Alex’s behaviour in this instance. He absolutely acknowledges and recognises he made a huge mistake. But as part of the ongoing process, both he and his representatives have been involved in many conversations with senior members of the ECB over the past few weeks where Alex has apologised profusely for his actions. “The ECB insisted on Alex taking certain rehabilitation measures following his suspension. In line with both the ECB and PCA [Professional Cricketers’ Association] guidelines, those measures must remain confidential. However, at every stage, Alex fulfilled his obligations and both he and his representatives were given assurances that any suspension — again under the ECB’s guidelines — could not affect his selection for the World Cup.” Hales’ management reiterated their client’s belief that the ban would not affect his World Cup berth, saying he “took away the message his World Cup place would be judged on playing merit”. “The fact all those assurances seem to have been rendered meaningless has understandably left Alex devastated,” the statement said. “He will take time to reflect on both his actions and the subsequent decisions but will receive the support from his team he deserves. Until the matter became public, the ECB had fully observed their own process and guidelines and given Alex the support and guidance laid out in those regulations. It is now disappointing to learn these guidelines seem to have been disregarded while, in this instance, player welfare would also appear to be low on their list of priorities. While Alex is hurt, the ECB’s decision does not dilute his commitment to the game and he will continue to give everything to Nottinghamshire’s cause. He would also like to wish England team-mates well for the World Cup.” Hales was withdrawn from all England squads after being slapped with a 21-day ban for using recreational drugs. As a result, he will not travel to Ireland for a one-off ODI on Friday in Malahide and has also been removed from England’s squad for the T20I, the one-day series against Pakistan, and the preliminary World Cup squad. Ben Duckett and Dawid Malan were subsequently called up to the squad for the ODI against Ireland and T20I against Pakistan. James Vince, who was already part of the squad for those matches, was also included for the five-match one-day series against Pakistan starting on May 8. According to an ECB statement, Ashley Giles, the managing director of England men’s cricket, and the England selectors, headed by Ed Smith, took the decision to omit Hales after considering what is in the best interests of the England team. “Consideration was given to creating the right environment within the team and ensuring that there are no unnecessary distractions and that the team is in the best position to succeed going into this crucial period,” read the statement. “We have thought long and hard about this decision,” Giles said. “We have worked hard to create the right environment around the England team and need to consider what is in the best interests of the team, to ensure they are free from any distractions and able to focus on being successful on the pitch. “I want to make it clear this is not the end of Alex’s career as an England player. The ECB and the PCA will continue to aid Alex and work alongside his county club Nottinghamshire to give him the support he needs, to help him fulfil his potential as a professional cricketer.” England have until May 23 to finalise their World Cup 15, and so the coming series against Ireland and the Pakistan matches represent a huge opportunity for a replacement batsman to make his case for selection. The current front-runner would appear to be Hampshire’s Vince, who made a career-best 190 from 154 balls against Gloucestershire last week.