Hales has taken just three first-class wickets in a seven-year career and bowled three overs since 2011.
However, Alastair Cook tossed him the ball with South Africa 325 for three and having survived a barrage of bouncers from the quick bowlers. The fact that Hales bowled one maiden with his dolly drops and conceded two runs revealed the home team’s caution and fear of taking risks even against a bowler flattered by the term ‘part-time’.
“He was surprised as we were at that fact [to bowl a maiden],” Finn, who was the only wicket-taker of the day, said.
“We opened the bowling together for Hertfordshire under-12s and that was the last time I saw him bowl. They were filthy seamers then and they are filthy off‑spinners now. Someone like that bowling does just create something different. Our main bowlers had not got the breakthrough and they played him really tentatively.
“Watching Alex Hales bowling is not something I particularly want to do again but if he had got that breakthrough it would have been fantastic.”
Hales enjoyed his chance to bowl, later tweeting to Graeme Swann:
@Swannyg66 hey mate hope you're well. Just wondering what your test match economy rate is?
— Alex Hales (@AlexHales1) January 4, 2016
With a flat pitch and no hint of swing, England could not afford the two dropped catches off Hashim Amla which they blamed partly on the difficulty of picking up the ball at Newlands.
“You just lose it when the ball is darker and older,” Finn said. “It blends in with the crowd, even the one that fell short of me at mid-off I did not pick it up until it was halfway toward me. No catch is an easy catch here.
“Compo [Nick Compton] definitely struggled to pick his up and square of the wicket out on the boundary and for the close catchers it is hard to see. Hopefully tomorrow morning if we do get chances we will see them."
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