Hain credits Bell for ringing the changes
NO ONE had envisaged Sam Hain opening for the Birmingham Bears – not least the man himself – but he has found some solace in the Blast after a disappointing County Championship campaign.
Averaging 36 with a strike-rate just shy of 130, he has compiled 324 runs in the competition – statistics that are a stark contrast to his red-ball form.
In first-class cricket this year Hain, 21, has cobbled together just 257 runs through 14 innings so far, with more than half of those coming in a knock of 135 against Hampshire this month.
But Hain has been a T20 revelation alongside skipper Ian Bell – a change to the Varun Chopra/William Porterfield combination which saw Birmingham lift their maiden Blast title in 2014.
And while the outgoing Chopra has featured just once in the competition – making 97 not out against Durham last month – Hain has certainly made the most of his chances.
“It’s a new experience for me opening the batting in one-day cricket, it’s one I’m enjoying, trying to release myself from four-day to try and express myself,” he said. “I had a chat with Belly and the coaches about opening in one-day stuff, but I didn’t expect to be doing it at firstteam level this year.
“But an opportunity came up which I tried to take with both hands and it so happens that things have gone reasonably well.
“Everyone knows how good Belly is, you can just ask him what to do if you need it, he’s a fantastic player to help you through the game.”
With their help, the Bears are sitting pretty needing one more win to secure their place in the last eight.
But Hain’s side have stuttered in recent weeks, losing four of their last five and leaving their campaign in danger of fizzling out after their early domination of the North Group standings.
And ahead of the Bears’ clash tonight at Edgbaston with Nottinghamshire Outlaws, against whom Hain scored an unbeaten 92 in his debut match, the youngster is trying to keep focus away from what has gone before.
“We weren’t at our best in [Tuesday’s] defeat to Northants,” he admitted. “We thought we could take the momentum from the good win at Leicestershire, but that wasn’t the case. It’s hard to say what’s not clicked, our middle order hasn’t been firing but we’ll take it one step at a time – we’ve got two chances to get the win and get through.
“Playing your best cricket and peaking at the right time is so important. It’s hard to say what happens in the North; the top four can go either way and we’ve seen a number of teams shock in one way or another.
“But Notts are a powerful side. We’ve seen what Riki Wessels and Michael Lumb can do at the top of the order, but both teams have some fantastic players so it should be a good spectacle.”
Elsewhere in the North, Mark Stoneman will look to add to his impressive record of two half-centuries in three clashes versus Lancashire Lightning when Durham Jets host the alreadyeliminated holders.
Worcestershire Rapids go into their final group game knowing they must beat the Derbyshire Falcons, though the Rapids will take heart from winning their last three in Derby.
The Northants Steelbacks are enjoying a similar record at Yorkshire Vikings, winning their last three ahead of tonight’s vital clash at Headingley which could see the former secure their last eight place.