Sam Hain is focused purely on scoring runs for the Bears after an explosive maiden T20 century at Trent Bridge on a record-breaking night prompted more chatter about the batter and his England credentials. Hain’s unbeaten knock of 112 against the Notts Outlaws, part of a mammoth 261 total, was commanding in the glorious Nottingham sunshine.
It came, of course, on a day when England posted the highest ODI score of all time against the lowly Netherlands, and which involved three players scoring hundreds of their own. Hain, though, has scored tons in both red ball and white ball cricket in the space of just six days.
“I watched a bit of the England game this morning, but from a personal viewpoint I’m happy scoring runs for Warwickshire,” Hain told BirminghamLive . “That question gets thrown about a lot, as long as I’m contributing to nights like tonight...it’s all I can do. I’m pleased it paid off tonight, but I know that in 48 hours we go again so we have to take it a game at a time.”
Having played for the Bears last Friday in a dreadful ten-wicket defeat at home to Yorkshire in this competition, Hain - along with Danny Briggs, Rob Yates and Alex Davies - switched back to the County Championship on Sunday. Four gruelling days later - and a defeat, despite Hain’s efforts - and the Bears were again preparing for the return of the Blast.
Join our Bears fans Facebook group by clicking here!
Hain couldn’t deny that fatigue has been kicking in, ahead of Sunday’s welcoming of Derbyshire, and that the punishing schedule was demanding plenty from those who represent the club in both forms of the game. Indeed, a number of players are currently managing niggles and minor injuries in order to perform.
“It’s tough, the way the schedule is. Not only me, but I know a lot of other lads on the county circuit are tired,” Hain explained. “It doesn’t give you a lot of time to get your head around it. You just turn up and see how it goes. I try to keep things very simple whether it’s a red or white ball.
“I’m more pleased with my red ball in how it’s going, but it’s tough to make the transition at the minute.”
Hain’s 112 was excellent here. There was plenty of support from the destructive Adam Hose (88*) and Yates (53) who on this occasion opened the batting in the absence of Jacob Bethell and Paul Stirling. His average at Trent Bridge now stands at a remarkable 413, so it’s generally been a happy hunting ground.
Even so, a T20 century was the one that was missing from Hain’s list, so he was naturally pleased to have clinched one here as part of a huge win on a run-fest of a night.
“From a personal point of view it’s something I’ve always wanted,” he added. “I didn’t think it’d come off today, but it’s T20 cricket. We’re pretty pleased on the whole, because we know how strong Notts are as a team. On a beautiful wicket like that, you don’t know what’s defendable.
“I know that strike rate has always been something that’s come into question with myself, a couple of years ago could I have done that? Probably not. Did I have the belief? Probably not, but I’ve had to make a shift. If you don’t go with the times, you get left behind.
“It’s definitely in the back of my mind that it’s something I know I can do, but I just need to believe myself a little bit more. Credit to Hosey - I know how free he can be. When you’re both going, nothing can stop two batsmen going at the death. As a batting unit, especially after last time getting bowled for 100, it goes to show T20 cricket is a funny game.
“Nights like tonight go to show how quickly cricket is moving.”
