Ignored Hales could prove to be England’s saviour – Broad

Hales has been unused at the World Cup but there have been calls to give him a go as England have so far blundered through the group stage.

Three heavy defeats in four games have left England – who have been unchanged throughout the tournament – needing to beat lower-ranked Bangladesh and Afghanistan or face the unthinkable prospect of an exit before the quarter-finals.

Coach Peter Moores and captain Eoin Morgan have four days to decide if they need to make changes before the first of those must-win games, against Bangladesh in Adelaide next Monday.

Hales, who is the third-ranked Twenty20 batsman in the world, would appear the most likely candidate for promotion with the out-of-form Gary Ballance having managed just 36 runs at an average of nine in the tournament.

Broad was not willing to wade into any debate about team selection, but he is an advocate of Hales’s enigmatic talents at a time when England need to find inspiration fast.

“He’s a player who can change the momentum of games,” Broad said.

“We are looking for players to stand up. He is the sort of player who can get you nought or 140,” Broad said.

“He is a dangerous player.

In yesterday’s action, David Warner top-scored as Australia piled up the World Cup’s highest total en route to victory by the widest margin in tournament history, against Afghanistan.

The co-hosts’ 417-6 contained three outstanding innings, Warner (178) pacing himself and his team before upping the ante in a mammoth second-wicket stand of 260 with Steven Smith (95).

Yorkshire’s Aaron Finch (4) was dismissed early, but his soon-to-be county colleague Glenn Maxwell took over from Warner by hitting 88 off just 39 balls.

Mitchell Johnson (4-22) eased the co-hosts to a landslide 275-run Pool A win as Afghanistan were out for 142 in 37.3 overs.

Pakistan boosted their chances of reaching the quarter-finals by defeating the United Arab Emirates by 129 runs in Napier.

A second-wicket partnership of 160 between Ahmed Shehzad (93) and Haris Sohail (70) helped Pakistan to 339-6 in their 50 overs, and although the UAE lost only eight wickets in their reply, they made just 210.