Worcestershire CCC have signed England Twenty20 record-breaker Alex Hales on a month's loan from Nottinghamshire CCC as cover for Moeen Ali in the LV= County Championship.
Hales will link up with the Division Two table-toppers after Ali was named in the England squad for next Friday's ODI with Scotland in Aberdeen.
England are also set to play Sri Lanka in five ODI's and one Twenty20 international between 20th May and 3rd June.
It is another shrewd signing by Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes who will be looking to 25-year-old Hales to help Worcestershire maintain their flying start to the campaign – two wins and 56 points from their first three games.
He will first be available for their next fixture against Glamorgan at the SWALEC Stadium starting on Sunday (4th May).
Rhodes said: “Everyone at New Road is delighted that Moeen has been selected for England in the fixture against Scotland.
"To lose a player of his quality is a blow to the team but to replace him with a loan player who is currently ranked as the number three T20 batsman in the World is a major coup for the Club.
"He is keen to show his abilities in the four day format and impress the national selectors."
Hales became the first England player to score a century in Twenty20 cricket with a brilliant 116 against Sri Lanka in the ICC World tournament in Bangladesh in March.
However he is not currently part of the Nottinghamshire team in the LV= County Championship and his county are keen for him to play some first team cricket.
Hales will be eligible to play for Worcestershire in at least three matches.
In addition to the Glamorgan clash, he would be able to participate in the matches with Kent at Tunbridge Wells and Surrey at the Kia Oval starting on 25th May and 1st June respectively.
But whether he could also take part in the home fixture with Essex beginning on 18th May would depend on whether Hales is selected for England's Twenty20 international with Sri Lanka at the Kia Oval on 20th May.
Hales' only appearance in the LV= County Championship this season saw him score 61 and 0 against Lancashire at Trent Bridge in early April.
He played alongside Moeen in all four of England's Twenty20 clashes in Bangladesh against New Zealand, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Netherlands.
