Hales’ resurrection proves great for England
FOR a long time Alex Hales was in danger of being airbrushed from England’s greatest era of one-day cricket.
The three-year gap between his omission from the 50-over World Cup in 2019 and a return to the team threatened to diminish the part he played. On a glorious evening in Adelaide, though, he issued a brutal reminder of his talent.
Hales made a blistering 86 not out in 47 balls against India, sharing in the most belligerent opening stand of the tournament with Jos Buttler, the captain, who finished the match in grand fashion with a scorching six. They put India’s bowlers to the sword and the match was as good as over after the opening powerplay. There was no let-up thereafter.
You would have got long odds on this resurrection, though, in the months before the squad was picked. The selectors seemed to have moved on from Hales. Yet the twist came, first through Eoin Morgan’s retirement, then through Jason Roy’s rank loss of form, and finally through the freak golfing accident to Jonny Bairstow. Hales was not a certainty to replace Bairstow but he was the obvious choice, and vindication came in glorious style at the Adelaide Oval.
This was Hales at his best. Afterwards he reflected on the journey to a World Cup final: “I never thought I’d play in a World Cup again, and to get a chance is a special feeling,” he said.
The signs were there in the previous two matches. With England’s qualification hanging by a thread, the opening partnership between Hales and Buttler put on 81 in 10 overs against New Zealand and 75 in seven against Sri Lanka. This annihilation of India’s attack, 170 in 16 overs, topped it off, the best opening partnership of the tournament so far.