I was not enjoying opening, says Alex Hales

Veteran English batsman Alex Hales is enjoying his time batting in the middle order in the current domestic season. Hales lost his position in the English side in the longest format of the game quite some time ago. Soon after being axed from the Test squad, Hales went back to his County side Nottinghamshire and took up the new role in the team. He batted at number 5 and found some form there.

Also, he started playing more in the format that he enjoyed more – the T20s. As per the quotes in The Guardian, he remarked that the T20 cricket helped him develop his game to the next level. Also, he called his new pet dog, named Kevin, to be his lucky charm.

“A few people have noticed that since he (his pet dog) came along I’ve found some proper form. We’ve been hanging out a lot and are getting on very well. I’ll give him some credit,” quoted Alex Hales.

“I wasn’t in a great spot. I hadn’t played any T20 cricket and the guys who had got us there, like Greg Smith, were playing well. I find it tough flitting between formats, so the T20 block this year has really helped me. I can focus purely on T20 skills, range-hitting and getting my angles right. I feel that’s paid off and pushed me to the next level. I’m in a much better place now,” mentioned Hales.

Not enjoying opening

Reflecting back at the things that transpired in the recent times, Alex Hales noted that the phase when he was dropped from the English Test team was the time that he realised that he wanted to bat in the middle order. He said that he had stopped enjoying the opening slot. He recalled that even during his early days in cricket for Nottinghamshire, he took to opening only because that was the only slot left in the team.

“I just wasn’t enjoying opening. I’d never been particularly fond of it. When I was 20 or 21, trying to break into the Notts team it was the only position available because we had such a strong middle order. Once I was dropped from the Test team, it was an opportunity to take ownership and ask to bat where I wanted, and where I felt would suit me more naturally. If I could have my time again I’d go back to my 19-year-old self and say stay in the middle order! I’m enjoying the change a lot and so glad I made it,” Hales remarked.

Best of all worlds

A very jovial Alex Hales then remarked that he has the best of all worlds when it comes to the coming year end season. If he gets to play the Ashes, he would love it. If that does not happen, he is contented to be the part of the Stellenbosch Monarchs in the inaugural T20 Global League.

“I’ve got to keep knocking on the door and either I get called up to play an Ashes series, which would be a dream come true, or I go and play T20 cricket around the world, which is just great fun. That’s a win-win situation, isn’t it?” Hales exclaimed.