Renegades replace injured Samuels with English cricketer

Marlon Samuels of the Renegades gets hit in the head by Lasith Malinga of the Stars during the BBL match between the Melbourne Stars and the Melbourne Renegades at Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 6, 2013. Michael Dodge / Getty Images

THE Melbourne Renegades have signed up English T20 star Alex Hales to replace the injured Marlon Samuels for the rest of the Big Bash League.

Samuels is nursing a suspected fractured eye socket after top-edging a ball from Lasith Malinga into his face during the stormy encounter with the Stars on Sunday.

Hales was available for last night's final group stage clash against the Sydney Sixers at the SCG as well as the finals series.

Renegades coach Simon Helmot said he was sorry Samuels was unable to play but said Hales could do just as well as the West Indian at the top of the order.

Hales has an average of 34.83 at a strike rate of 127.43 for England in T20 internationals.

The Renegades will also be without skipper Aaron Finch for the rest of the season after he was picked for Australia's opening two matches of the ODI series against Sri Lanka.