2016's GREATEST HITS: HALES HITS 171

ALEX HALES TOPPLES ROBIN SMITH'S LONG-STANDING ODI RECORD

There are many ways to measure being at your lowest ebb. For a Test opener, being below Steven Finn in the series averages might be one. So it was for Alex Hales after scoring 145 runs at 18.12 against Pakistan. A confrontation with the third umpire during the final Test after what he deemed to be an unfair dismissal showed he was a batsman living on the edge, and finding it far too often. 

Scores of seven and 14 in the first two ODIs did little to dispel the notion that here was a man who was not in control of his mind, his temper, or his footwork.

All change at Trent Bridge. A flick off his legs for a couple from his first ball... two later, a back-foot punch bisected Babar Azam’s long barrier and flew to the boundary. It felt like Hales’ day.

Fifty-five balls were needed for his fifty. On 72, he was caught at deep square leg only to be reprieved by a no-ball call from the third umpire (of course). Hales could have lost concentration, but Azhar Ali felt a few throwdowns were in order and Hales went from 77 to 96 in five swings. The landmarks came: 100 off 83, 150 off 110. The target was set: 18 runs needed off 17 overs to pass Robin Smith’s record and assign ‘the Judge’ to eternal recess. 

Hales needed just 11 balls. Hasan Ali was despatched to the leg-side fence, and the crowd rose to applaud a bemused Hales, informed by the cheeky grin of Joe Root.

As is often the way, it was all over next ball. Full, straight, out. Hales was gone but not forgotten for 171 off 122 balls of cultured off-side punches and agricultural leg-side brutality. 

Words by Elgan Alderman