(Reuters) - England opener Alex Hales accepts he needs to make some major contributions to gain promotion from the fringe of the squad to an assured place at the top of the batting order for next year's World Cup on home soil.
With Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy on target to lock out the opening slots, Hales will almost certainly have to step aside for Ben Stokes when the explosive all-rounder returns from a hamstring injury.
