Alex Hales is in danger of becoming a household name. Synonymous now with explosive batting in Twenty20 cricket, Hales became the first Englishman to score a century in the game’s shortest format in their victory over Sri Lanka in this spring’s ICC World Twenty 20.
He had threatened breaking three figures before. Last summer, he scored 94 against Australia, while in 2012 he fell one agonising run short of his century against the West Indies at Trent Bridge.
While struggling for form in the four-day game, Hales was exceptional in white ball cricket for Nottinghamshire, his runs brushing aside Lancashire Lightning in the Outlaws’ journey to the Friends Life T20 quarter-final and his partnership with Michael Lumb has become feared in the limited-overs game.
The tall right-hander, who started out as an MCC Young Cricketer, has excelled for Nottinghamshire, as well as twice appearing in Australia’s KFC Big Bash T20 and spent much of the winter at the summit of the ICC T20 Batsman rankings.
Despite his aptitude for the game’s shorter formats, Hales has reiterated his desire to re-establish himself at the top of Nottinghamshire’s LV= County Championship order and will be looking to play an important part in the county’s fortunes in 2014.