Alex Hales s stunning century provided the platform for England to post the highest ever one-day worldwide total of 444 for three as they beat Pakistan by 169 runs at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.
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Alex Hales said he was not aware he was closing in on the highest one-day global score by an Englishman in his scintillating 171 against Pakistan on Tuesday.
They then knocked Pakistan over for 275, with Chris Woakes continuing his electric form and picking up four wickets, while the rest were shared around as they have been for much of the series.
On a day of records, the match ended with yet more entertainment, as Mohammad Amir became the first number 11 in ODI history to make a half-century.
“Quite a monumental knock from Alex Hales”, said Morgan.
“The records are hugely important, we are not just a side that likes batting second. We’re still learning with the bat and ball and still improving in the field so hopefully there’s a lot more to come in the next two years”.
Hales broke Robin Smith’s 23-year-old record 167 not out, but was lbw immediately afterwards to Pakistan seamer Hasan Ali and therefore would not register a maiden ODI double-hundred by any English batsman. England bettered Sri Lanka’s 443 for nine against Netherlands in 2006 to create the new world record.
It looked like it would not be Pakistan’s day from the first few overs, when misfields allowed England momentum and once Hales hit his stride, despite his opening partner Jason Roy’s wicket in the sixth over, it was carnage at its ODI best.
England’s Alex Hales in action.
“We missed chances, especially getting wickets with no balls and dropping catches, which didn’t help”, Pakistan captain Azhar Ali said.
From the final ball of the innings by Hasan Ali, Buttler jabbed the ball to the cover boundary to take the total score to 444, a new global record in ODI cricket.
“International cricket’s about how you go through the tough times and how you manage them – certainly today he (Hales) has come back really well from them”.
Hales raised his century off 83 balls and then needed another 27 deliveries to reach 150.
Buttler and Morgan then shredded Pakistan’s bowling in the last dozen overs.
It seemed as if England would fall short of the highest ODI score but the last ball of the innings saw Buttler smash Hasan Ali over extra-cover for four to the delight of a capacity crowd.
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But he was merely delaying the inevitable and Amir was last man out when caught and bowled by Woakes.
