Alex Hales smashes record score as Nottinghamshire win Royal London One-Day Cup

Alex Hales hit the highest score ever recorded in a county final at Lord's as Nottinghamshire beat Surrey by four wickets to win the Royal London One-Day Cup.

Neither Hales nor Surrey's Mark Stoneman were included in England's Test squad announced on Saturday, but each sent a timely message to Joe Root and the selectors as Hales smashed a match-winning 187 not out after Stoneman had posted 144, also unbeaten.

The pair now boast two of the top three knocks ever seen in a county final at Lord's, with Hales smashing Geoffrey Boycott's 1965 record of 146 while Stoneman finished just two short.

Both could have been removed early after Hales was dropped by Ollie Pope on nine and Stoneman by Steven Mullaney on 32 but it was the former's awesome display, eclipsing his previous career-best of 171 for England last year, that inspired Nottinghamshire to reach their 298-target.

Hales' effort will go down as one of the great one-day innings, coming in 167 balls and including 20 fours and four sixes.

It means Surrey have now lost three successive finals in this competition after defeats to Gloucestershire in 2015 and Warwickshire last year, while retiring Nottinghamshire captain Chris Read, who made a crucial 58, was given the perfect send-off in what is likely to be his final outing at Lord's.

Stuart Broad was passed fit for the Outlaws after a recent heel problem and Luke Fletcher replaced the injured Jake Ball. Surrey's Scott Borthwick was preferred to Rory Burns.

Surrey skipper Gareth Batty won the toss and chose to bat first but his side's strong start was as much due to some dismal Nottinghamshire fielding as any skill at the crease.

A half-full crowd had barely taken their seats when, from Fletcher's first ball of the day, Riki Wessels failed to collect a Jason Roy (23) edge at first slip and then Mullaney put one down at cover, this time after Stoneman had lifted generously into the air.

Stoneman was again spared when Read dropped an albeit more difficult chance behind but Nottinghamshire sparked a revival with four wickets in eight overs.

Kumar Sangakkara (30), Borthwick (14), Ben Foakes (one) and Pope (four) were the guilty parties as Surrey tumbled from 141 for one to 180 for five but Stoneman remained undeterred as an edge behind confirmed his century.

Surrey, at 255 for seven, were looking for a big finish but Gareth Batty (11) and Jade Dernbach (one) both departed cheaply to leave the Outlaws needing a respectable 298 to win.

Just as Surrey started with an early drop so did Nottinghamshire, as Hales thrashed a drive straight at Pope in the covers but the ball popped out of the 19-year-old's fingers.

Lumb on four was beaten lbw by Sam Curran (three for 60) but Hales took full advantage of his reprieve by blasting a quick 50 off 35 balls.

Ravi Rampaul saw off the dangerous pair of Wessels and Patel for six and seven respectively before Brendan Taylor, also on seven, feathered Dernbach through to the hands of Foakes.

But Hales was on a one-man mission, combining technical precision with brazen power-hitting, and he secured his century in just 83 balls with Nottinghamshire 134 for four.

It could have proven irrelevant had Read not finally provided a partner for Hales, who secured 200 for his side in the 32nd over and then 150 for himself, a flick to fine leg ensuring he cruised past Boycott's 52-year long record.

Read's half-century drew one of the day's biggest cheers from the travelling support but when he picked out Sam Curran in the deep, all that was left was for Hales and James Pattinson to seal victory with two overs to spare.

Source link