Hales marks his half-century against South Africa
At times in warm-up matches he looked like a player trying too hard to bat responsibly but has grown more settled thanks to the urging of the England coaching staff to fall back on the same approach he adopts in first-class cricket for Nottinghamshire.
He built slowly here taking 13 balls to get off the mark, and his fifty came off 97 deliveries, as England recovered from losing Alastair Cook early on. It took a good ball to dismiss him and while there were a couple of fortunate boundaries off the edge, this was an important step forward. The key is to keep going.
England partnerships
“I’ve tried to stick with what I have done in past. There will be stuff I tinker with and learn the more games I play. But I think the important thing is to be true to myself and keep looking to improve in certain areas,” said Hales.
“The coach has said go out and play your natural game - how you do for Notts and for the England one-day team - so there's no pressure on me in that respect. I look to be an attacking player and occasionally I'll make the odd mistake.
Hales has long played an important part in England's T20 and ODI teams
“A lot of the public will only have seen me play T20 and ODI cricket so I guess I do have that label but opening in four day cricket is different and something I have worked hard on in the last few years. I do approach it very differently to T20 or an ODI.
“It is a great feeling to get that on the board (with a fifty). Obviously I am very disappointed that I did not go on and make it three figures. I think there is something to prove every time you go out to bat in international cricket. This is a new challenge for me in my career and something I have loved so far.”
The batsman was regarded as something of a T20 specialist
Hales has played all over the world as Twenty20 specialist and know how to entertain but even he stood up and took notice of Ben Stokes’s late charge against the second new ball.
“It was brilliant to see and Stokesy is a maverick player and someone you love having in the team. When he gets going like that it is brilliant viewing for the whole ground. All the bowlers snoozing on the physio’s bed and all the out batters are straight out there to watch him. It really is exhilarating viewing.”
Can Stokes make his 100?
There has been plenty of reason to fret over the future of Test cricket in recent years and one big crowd at Newlands does not solve the issue, but this was a wonderful occasion at one of the most iconic grounds in the world with a large contingent of England fans playing their part.
The Barmy Army keep hydrated in South Africa
The Barmy Army have not been able to colonise one part of the ground at either Test so the signing has not been as obvious as previous tours and it was far from the feel of being a home fixture for England.
“Well the Barmy Army have not been singing that much and I have not felt their presence but I know they are there,” said Kagiso Rabada, the 20 year-old fast bowler who replaced the injured Dale Steyn. “The South Africa supporters were magnificent and I felt like I was at home. Even if they sing out loud I know we are still in our backyard.”
Rabada was playing his first Test on home soil and even though it was a flat wicket made for batting it at least had some pace unlike the dead tracks he played on in India recently.
“I don’t feel any pressure at all. It is an opportunity to go and play and I am going to make the most of it. We come in to play and we play hard.”
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