England batsman Alex Hales has been banned for 21 days for recreational drug use.

Hales, who was named in England’s provisional 15-man World Cup squad just last week, has not played for Nottinghamshire this season after making himself unavailable for his county just seven days ago for “personal reasons”.

However, It was reported on Friday that Hales is serving a three-week ban handed down by the England and Wales Cricket Board for failing a drugs test for the second time.

The ECB have refused to release an official statement on the matter, with a spokesperson for the organisation saying: “We have a duty of confidentiality, therefore we are unable to provide any further comment”.

All professional male cricketers under the ECB’s jurisdiction, along with centrally contracted female players, are subject to hair follicle testing at the start and end of each season. The testing of hair follicles means banned substances can be detected up to three months after their consumption.

Players that fail a recreational drug test for the first time are not named, with the matter dealt with internally by the ECB and the Professional Cricketers’s Association who in turn offer rehabilitative support.

Once a test is failed for a second time, an automatic three-week ban comes into effect from the date the player is informed of the results, along with a fine of five per-cent of their annual salary. The player’s county is informed, along with ECB chief executive Tom Harrison and PCA chief executive David Leatherdale. A third failed test and a player could have his domestic and international contract terminated immediately.