COVERED SPRING 2020

7 @TRENTBRIDGE HALES BACKS THE HUNDRED TALENT TO SHINE Alex Hales believes the international power-hitters in Trent Rockets’ line-up will relish performing at Trent Bridge in The Hundred this summer. The opener is a local icon for the outfit, coached by Stephen Fleming, who will take to the field in Nottingham on four occasions. Moeen Ali’s Birmingham Phoenix will be Fleming’s side’s first opponents on Sunday 19 July. Trent Bridge will then play host to a Trent Rockets v Welsh Fire double- header on Saturday 25 July, with the men’s game preceded by an encounter between the two women’s sides featuring the likes of England internationals Nat Sciver and Katherine Brunt and Australia’s Elyse Villani. Oval Invincibles provide the opposition on Sunday 2 August, with the visit of Ben Stokes’ Northern Superchargers rounding off the group stages on Monday 10 August. Hales will be one of a number of limited- overs globetrotters gracing the Trent Rockets – something which the 31-year- old believes can spur players on to greater heights. “Trent Bridge is one of those grounds where you just have to get yourself in, then you can go big,” he said. “It’s particularly good for an opener – the pitches are generally batter-friendly, and the boundaries are small. “That you get to play with and against so many different players from different backgrounds will really add to your experience of the tournament as well. “Every coach and player you come up against will know your game like the back of their hand, so there’ll be no hiding place. “It’ll be a ruthless environment, and you’ll have to keep improving your game.” The likes of Australia international D’Arcy Short, world-leading spinner Rashid Khan and England captain Joe Root add stardust to a squad which also includes a number of local players – but it is the overall makeup of theTrent Rockets roster that excites Hales the most. “I love the balance we’ve got,” he said. “To be able to call on high quality players like Rashid Khan – arguably the best T20 player in the world – will be gold dust, but having quite a few guys who are familiar with Trent Bridge will also be an advantage. “It’s a unique place to play, so that knowledge could be very useful.” Tickets for The Hundred fixtures at Trent Bridge have been highly sought- after, with the venue proving to be the most popular outside London in the initial pre-sale windows. Affordability for families has been prioritised by cricket’s newest competition: all tickets for children aged 6 to 15 are available for £5, tickets for those aged 5 and under are free of charge while adults can gain entry from £10. Early bird prices end on 22 April. TRENT BRIDGE NEWS