![Sydney Thunder international recruit Alex Hales. Picture by Keegan Carroll Sydney Thunder international recruit Alex Hales. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GzY3iczng7SLWqVgHSV78t/5ee71522-59c2-490d-9002-b010b20d4b1e.jpg/r0_456_5000_3278_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Alex Hales has declared he will do whatever it takes to put the Sydney Thunder in the frame for a Big Bash finals berth before he departs the club.
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The Englishman will feature in the side's first nine games before he jets off to play for the Desert Vipers in the inaugural UAE Twenty20 league.
Hales has enjoyed considerable success in Australia in recent times and he's determined to ensure that run continues this summer.
The process begins at Manuka Oval on Tuesday night, the Thunder to host the Melbourne Stars in the first game of the Big Bash.
"I'm playing in nine games and I want to have as many match-winning performances as possible," Hales said. "If I can contribute as much as I can, hopefully I can get the boys off to a great start.
"It will be tough for me to leave but it is something I have to do unfortunately. I'd love for us to be in a spot where we're really pushing for the top two places. That's where you want to be at the halfway stage so hopefully I can contribute to that."
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Hales returned to Australia on Sunday less than a month after he led England to victory in the Twenty20 World Cup.
The opener finished the tournament with 212 runs at an average of 42.40, including a match-winning 86* in the semi-final.
Hales was also the leading run-scorer in the 2019-20 Big Bash season and scored 383 runs for the Thunder last summer.
The 33-year-old is full of confidence on the eve of his latest BBL campaign and he's looking forward to cashing in on a batting-friendly Manuka Oval wicket.
"I love coming to Australia," Hales said. "It's such a good lifestyle, more often than not it's good weather, good quality cricket and it's just somewhere I love coming.
"When you're in that mindset, I feel like it helps you succeed on the field and it's a place I enjoy my cricket.
"I have taken a lot of confidence out of the World Cup. This is a new start and a new tournament but it's nice to come here in decent form and hopefully I can take that into the tournament."
Hales headlines a talented Thunder line-up that will also feature the likes of Rilee Rossouw, Chris Green and emerging youngsters Jason Sangha and Ollie Davies.
While Hales and Rossouw will depart before the season's out, the franchise will be bolstered by the arrival of David Warner for the final five games plus finals.
The Thunder are considered one of the teams to beat and the Stars are on high alert as they look to cause an upset at Manuka Oval.
While the Sydney franchise boasts a number of elite batsman, Melbourne have identified Hales as the key wicket.
"He's very dangerous," Marcus Stoinis said. "He's unstoppable once he gets going. He's been in the Big Bash for a few years, he's part of the furniture here at the Thunder.
"He had a great World Cup and England won it so he's definitely one of the most dangerous players in the competition."
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