Hales fires England on T20 win over Windies
26 Jun 2012 12:42 AM IST
Alex Hales showed England could cope at Twenty20 level without Kevin Pietersen as his superb 99 saw them to a seven-wicket win over the West Indies at Trent Bridge on Sunday.
World Twenty20 champions England, set a challenging 173 to win, finished on 173 for three with two balls to spare in their first match at this level since Pietersen retired from all limited overs internationals.
Hales's score was the highest by an England batsman in a Twenty20 international, surpassing Eoin Morgan's 85 not out against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2009.
The 23-year-old Hales, taking the opener's spot vacated by Pietersen, faced 68 balls with four sixes and six fours on his Nottinghamshire home ground as England gave themselves a boost ahead of their World Twenty20 title defence in Sri Lanka in September.
But, in sight of becoming only the seventh batsman to make a Twenty20 international hundred, he was yorked by fast bowler Fidel Edwards.
His partnership of 159 with Ravi Bopara (59) was also the third highest for any wicket in all Twenty20 internationals.
'The way Alex Hayles played was fantastic,' said England Twenty20 captain and Nottinghamshire colleague Stuart Broad, celebrating his 26th birthday today.
'He was pretty distraught not to make his hundred and 20-odd thousand people in Trent Bridge felt the same.'
This result meant West Indies had failed to win a single international match this tour after England three-match Test and one-day series by 2-0 margins.
England lost opener Craig Kieswetter early in their chase.
But the 6ft 5in Hales, playing only his fifth Twenty20 international, took up the challenge by pulling Ravi Rampaul for six.
He also scored boundaries off the first balls from spinner Sunil Narine and seamer Bravo before lofting Bravo for his third six.
And when Hales forced West Indies captain Darren Sammy square through the offside for four, he surpassed his previous Twenty20 international best of 62 not out against the West Indies at The Oval in September last year.
World Twenty20 champions England, set a challenging 173 to win, finished on 173 for three with two balls to spare in their first match at this level since Pietersen retired from all limited overs internationals.
Hales's score was the highest by an England batsman in a Twenty20 international, surpassing Eoin Morgan's 85 not out against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2009.
The 23-year-old Hales, taking the opener's spot vacated by Pietersen, faced 68 balls with four sixes and six fours on his Nottinghamshire home ground as England gave themselves a boost ahead of their World Twenty20 title defence in Sri Lanka in September.
But, in sight of becoming only the seventh batsman to make a Twenty20 international hundred, he was yorked by fast bowler Fidel Edwards.
His partnership of 159 with Ravi Bopara (59) was also the third highest for any wicket in all Twenty20 internationals.
'The way Alex Hayles played was fantastic,' said England Twenty20 captain and Nottinghamshire colleague Stuart Broad, celebrating his 26th birthday today.
'He was pretty distraught not to make his hundred and 20-odd thousand people in Trent Bridge felt the same.'
This result meant West Indies had failed to win a single international match this tour after England three-match Test and one-day series by 2-0 margins.
England lost opener Craig Kieswetter early in their chase.
But the 6ft 5in Hales, playing only his fifth Twenty20 international, took up the challenge by pulling Ravi Rampaul for six.
He also scored boundaries off the first balls from spinner Sunil Narine and seamer Bravo before lofting Bravo for his third six.
And when Hales forced West Indies captain Darren Sammy square through the offside for four, he surpassed his previous Twenty20 international best of 62 not out against the West Indies at The Oval in September last year.
Next Story
