Hales aware he still has point to prove in Test arena for England

Alex Hales is hoping he can be part of 'something special' in all formats with England's improving team.
England's Alex Hales.England's Alex Hales.
England's Alex Hales.

Hales’s match-winning 99, curiously the second time he has fallen one short of a century in his relatively short international career to date, was a heartening performance on Saturday after his Test travails in South Africa.

The opener’s resourceful innings, on a slow pitch which did not play to his attacking strengths, set the stage for big-hitting Jos Buttler to finish the match in style at Port Elizabeth where England took a 2-0 one-day international series lead.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A third successive victory at Centurion tomorrow will give the tourists an unassailable advantage, with two to play, to add to the Test success which knocked South Africa off their world No 1 perch.

For Hales, though, that maiden Test series was decidedly patchy – containing just one half-century in eight innings, and six scores under 20.

The 27-year-old knows, on that basis, he will start next summer with a point to prove and a place to claim at the top of the order alongside Test captain Alastair Cook.

Before then, though, England have the chance to win two limited-overs series here over the next two weeks – and then bid for only the second global trophy in their history at the ICC World Twenty20.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hales is sure to be heavily involved, with the squad to fly to India next month set to be named on Wednesday.

He acknowledges he has so far established himself only against the white ball for England, but is ambitious to be a Test regular too.

“Certainly in my England career, I’ve loved playing the white ball,” he said.

“I’m obviously still new to the red-ball format.

“But I’ve been part of some great teams, and it looks as though we’ve got something special building here with this bunch of guys.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He believes 50 and 20-over runs can help ease his path to enjoying an extended run in the Test team.

He added: “I think any form of international cricket leads into another.

“I did have some questions to answer coming into this series, but I’ve felt in good touch since we switched to the white ball.

“I hope if I can keep this good form going, take it into the Twenty20s and ‘World Cup’, I can keep going into the five-day arena into the summer.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hales’s Test experiences so far have been chastening, perhaps, but he prefers to see them as lessons learned in difficult climes.

Quick pitches, and a testing seam attack even in the absence for much of the series of Dale Steyn and for its entirety of Vernon Philander, put a premium on shot selection at the top of the order. Hales set out to stick to what he does best, but it did not pay off.

“Mentally, I tried not to approach it differently,” he added.

“I guess it’s just been a higher standard, and obviously in general a pretty tough place to open the batting anyway. It has been a learning curve, and I hope I can take what I learn from it and improve in the summer.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However he fares abroad over the next two months, though, he knows he will need to start the county championship summer well with Nottinghamshire if he is to silence his doubters.

He said: “I think so, yes – it is up to me to go back and score runs early in the season when it’s toughest to bat and show I am ready for that May Test match.

“I hope I’ll get a chance. If I do, I’ve got a lot to prove – and I’m ready for it.”