Alex Hales has been living his dream as an all-format England regular in 2016, but admits he has also missed playing for Nottinghamshire.
The 27-year-old, who recently penned a new two-year contract with the Outlaws, is eyeing a period of domestic cricket early in the 2017 campaign.
With the Royal London One-Day Cup set to take place in April and May, allowing players to hit form and stake their claim ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, Hales has spied an opportunity to fire on the domestic scene once again.
“It looks like there’s a little period at the start of the year where a lot of the guys are available, so it will be nice to get out and play for the Outlaws,” he said.
“I’ve only played one game at Trent Bridge all year – I have missed it.
“Playing for England is the dream but it will be great to get out and play a few games for Notts.”
Hales, whose previous Nottinghamshire contract was set to expire at the end of the season, was the subject of offers from opposition counties, but insists that a move away from Trent Bridge was always unlikely.
“I always had it in my head and heart that I was staying at Nottinghamshire,” he said.
“That’s definitely the case, whether or not we get relegated. If that happens, it will be a challenge to get back up to Division One where we belong.
“There was a couple of offers from other sides but my heart was always here at Trent Bridge.
“It’s home – it’s seems like yesterday that I was a 19-year-old coming up from London and moving away from home for a new start.
“I’ve definitely matured as a guy and as a cricketer. I’ve really loved my time in Nottingham.”
With Hales set to represent his country against Pakistan on home turf on Tuesday afternoon, he is currently unavailable to assist in Nottinghamshire’s battle to avoid the drop in the Specsavers County Championship.
The powerful opener remains optimistic that his Notts teammates can find sufficient form during the final three games of the season – against Durham, Middlesex and Somerset – to put up a real fight.
“There’s still three games to turn it around, obviously they are tough games,” he said.
“We do have our backs up against the wall, so we need to make sure we give it everything and leave nothing in the tank.
“It has been a disappointing season, but if we do manage to find some form at the right time, we can stay up and we will bounce back next year.”
Trent Bridge will host an Investec Test Match between England and South Africa, and a Royal London One-Day International visit from the West Indies, in 2017.
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