Misfits, mishits and Alex Hales

With Alex Hales starting another Test Match this morning, is it worth reflecting on how Nottinghamshire Outlaws have fared in his prolonged absence.




Alex who?

So far 2016 has seen Outlaws' batting records being set in both one day formats. This has all happened without our premier batsman, Alex Hales. So does this mean that Nottinghamshire have moved on or even out grown International Alex or have Outlaws worked out that a more brutal, bludgeoning approach to batting is necessary to compete in 2016 and that approached has come-off to some extent?

The Northamptonshire Steelbacks One Day Cup game in June saw firstly Michael Lumb and Riki Wessels score the highest List A partnership scored in England, 342. Michael Lumb went on to make 184, 17 runs greater than Paul Johnson's previous Nottinghamshire record high score. The team score that day easily surpassed the 368 Outlaws' best from Lord's of 2014 and went on to end on 445-8. When Northants replied with such endeavour and belligerence and only fell short by 20 runs, the match aggregate of 870 was another English record.

Then we have the game last Friday, abridged by rain interruption but nevertheless recording breaking in its brutality. Not only did Michael Lumb equal the Outlaws second fastest T20 fifty record in 17 balls but Dan Christian then went on to equal Alex Hales' record fastest fifty in 16 balls.

If

In a question of ifs; if Outlaws beat their hoodoo of the Quarter-finals by defeating Essex next week and get to finals day at Edgbaston, when England Internationals become available, where would Notts accommodate Alex Hales? Hales is best utilised as opener in T20, and it is clear that Riki Wessels would drop down the order to allow this, but why would Outlaws want to do this? If we do reach finals day, then we would have won 9 games on the bounce with Riki Wessels opening with Michael Lumb, so why spoil a successful formula? 

If England players are granted full availability for Twenty 20 Finals Day and if Outlaws are there; the Outlaws eleven picks itself, it's just the order of the names that is in debate. There would be no Brendan Taylor or Greg Smith to gum-up the works has as been the case in the recent slump in the Cup form, where confidence would now appear to have ended as subterranean as the Championship confidence, all that bludgeoning, playing without fear having evaporated , but hey-ho, it's only 8-9 months until the next cup competition starts, if stories are to be believed at the end of March 2017. If Alex Hales will be part of that early season with Outlaws has to be in some doubt; Alex Hales has yet to commit to Notts with a new contract and Hales could also take the opportunity to play in the IPL, an option written into his current contract should it yield enough dollars.

Eggs

The current 8 consecutive wins is again a Nottinghamshire T20 record, lets hope that that becomes 11 wins later this month but before that there's Essex, who would so like to win the trophy in Graham Napier's farewell season. After Monday night's failings, Outlaws have a week to get their act together, after all, it appears that Mick Newell has ditched his priorities and has packed all of his eggs in the one basket 2016. The club have grounds for vindication in this respect, record attendances at Trent Bridge being the reward for the effort put into staging these events ...... perhaps making ready for Franchise-isation. Roll-on the Nottingham Double-yolkers 2018.