Back from enjoying the series of his life with England, big-hitting batsman Alex Hales in zoning-in on a duo of “massive games’ for the Notts Outlaws.
The Outlaws have won three and lost four of their NatWest T20 Blast fixtures to date, something Hales compares to the indifferent start they made last season with three defeats from the opening five matches, prior to surging up the table and securing a home quarter-final.
And with a double header of matches against Derbyshire Falcons and Northamptonshire Steelbacks taking place this weekend, Hales is eyeing the upper echelons of the north group table.
“There are two massive games for us on the bounce in T20 Blast,” he said.
“If we can win these two at the weekend, we’ll be right in the mix at the top of the table, so hopefully we can do that.
“It’s a very tight group and this time last year we were off to a similar start in the competition, having won a few but also lost a few as well.
“We managed to pull through and finish second, so we know we’re a couple of wins away from being right where we want to be.”
Alongside Hales' return to the fold, the Outlaws are also welcoming Chris Read back to the fold after injury, with Brendan Taylor rested having been ever-present in all competitions throughout the season so far.
Andrew Carter, on loan at Glamorgan for the four day format, has also been named in the 15 man squad and could feature for Notts for th first time this season.
Hales, who began the 2015 NatWest T20 Blast campaign with 86 off 43 balls against the Birmingham Bears, has warned his Outlaws teammates against complacency ahead of Friday’s trip to Derby – and admits he’s already excited for the first Blast outing at Trent Bridge since 5 June.
“It’s one of my favourite games, Derbyshire away,” said Hales.
“You get plenty of stick from the crowd and we have got a decent record there, but we can’t get complacent, we can’t take Derbyshire lightly because they’re always up for the challenge against us.
“Then, on Saturday, it really will be nice to get back to Trent Bridge. It’s on TV as well which is better for us and we’re always blessed with fantastic crowds, so no doubt the atmosphere will be brilliant.”
Hales is expected to open the batting alongside Michael Lumb this weekend for the first time in 2015, and he’s looking forward to a top-order reunion with his hard-hitting partner in crime.
“I love opening the batting with Lumby,” Hales said.
“We’ve had a good couple of years of it with England and for Notts. He’s fantastic to open with.
“We seem to know each other’s games very well, and the right-hand, left-hand combo works for us as well.
“Lumby is renowned for getting off to brilliant starts from ball one, whereas I tend to take a little bit longer to get set at the crease. It’s something that’s worked very well in tandem over the years.
“It takes the scoreboard pressure off to an extent, particularly when I was younger and less experienced.
“Now I know my game a bit more I know that, once I get through the first few overs, I can always catch up on my score.”
The thought of Hales playing catch-up is unlikely to resonate with supporters that enjoyed England’s performances during the recent Royal London One-Day Series, as the Nottinghamshire opener consistently got his country off to rapid starts.
It was a five-match campaign during which England’s new found attacking brand of cricket excelled and Hales beamed that he’s never enjoyed his cricket more.
“It was definitely the best series, in any form of cricket, that I’ve ever been involved in,” he said.
“I don’t think too many of the general public expected much from us against the World Cup finalists. But we went out there with a pretty new, uncapped and young team, we took the game to them and won what was an incredible series.
“It shows what talent there is around English cricket and that, if the guys go out and do what they’ve done for their counties, they can be successful on the world stage in one-day cricket.
“The experienced heads of Joe Root and Eoin Morgan showed the younger and more inexperienced players how to go about it, so those two were really key for us as well.
“The game at Trent Bridge was one of the best games of my career so far. To be a part of that, to chase down 350 in what was a massive moment in the series, it was a huge turning point for us from 2-1 down.
“It was one of the highest chased scores in ODI history and to do that on that occasion was very special.”
Hales, who passed fifty twice in the series – most memorably in blasting 67 off 38 balls to setup that successful run chase of 350 on his home ground – earned credit from the national media for setting an aggressive tone at the top of the England order.
Hales, however, is challenging himself to contribute more in the future than ultra explosive cameos.
“I want to make myself known as more than a tone-setter,” he said. “I want to be a big run-scorer.
“I got off to a few decent starts in the one-day series without really going on and making any massive scores.
"I think I’ve shown that I can cut it at that level. It’s up to me now to make it a bit more consistent and to get that first hundred. Hopefully that’s the next step for me."
Notts Outlaws squad to face Derbyshire Falcons (from): Jake Ball, Andrew Carter, Dan Christian, Luke Fletcher, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Lumb, Steven Mullaney, Samit Patel, Chris Read, Greg Smith, James Taylor, Riki Wessels and Sam Wood.
Northants Steelbacks squad to face Notts Outlaws (from): Richard Levi, David Willey, Josh Cobb, Ben Duckett, Alex Wakely, Steven Crook, Adam Rossington, Rob Keogh, Graeme White, Rory Kleinveldt, Olly Stone, Mohammad Azharullah
Notts Outlaws NatWest T20 Blast Fixtures & Ticket Information
v Northants Steelbacks – Saturday 27 June 2.30pm BUY TICKETS
v Worcestershire Rapids – Friday 3 July 6.30pm BUY TICKETS
v Derbyshire Falcons – Friday 10 July 6.30pm BUY TICKETS
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