WATCH: Alex Hales smashed twice on the groin in The Hundred…off back-to-back balls
Trent Rockets batsman Alex Hales will not have the fondest of memories from Sunday (August 8) night’s encounter in The Hundred against Oval Invincibles, where he was hit twice on the unmentionables off successive deliveries.
Hales’ moment of angst and excruciating pain came just after the first change of ends in the Rockets’ run-chase at The Oval. In a rain-marred 65-balls per side game, Hales, facing left-arm pacer Reece Topley, was hit twice where it hurts the most as he aimed to hit through the leg-side but missed the ball on both occasions.
Alex Hales was hit twice where it hurts the most.
Alex Hales seen bearing tremendous pain after copping up successive blows to unmentionables
Off the first delivery, Alex Hales initially shaped up to hit a shot towards the cover or the mid-off region but had to change his stroke at the last moment when Topley smartly followed him and cramped him for any room.
Not in a position to play any controlled stroke, Hales missed the short and skiddy ball from Topley, which did what it did and left the batsman down on his knees for a while, hoping and praying that he hasn’t copped up any major damage.
Those few seconds triggered laughter amongst fans but the feeling was hardly similar for the batter, who rolled along the ground for about a minute in evident pain before finally getting back to his feet and resuming his innings.
2 err…balls in a row. A piece of commentary I won't forget in a while. And what a killer line from @Heatherknight55
#TheHundred pic.twitter.com/E4JWYq0MYR
— Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz) August 9, 2021
Unfortunately for Hales, though, there was no relief coming his way as he was hit ‘there’ again off the very next delivery from Topley.
The batsman was once again brought down to his knees in visible anguish after missing another straight but quick ball from the left-arm speedster.
Appreciate all the messages of concern after last night..
It’s great to know that my well-being was at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts and that no one found it funny in the slightest!Unfortunately it’s worst-case scenario today with minimal swelling and maximal pain
— Alex Hales (@AlexHales1) August 9, 2021
The only respite for the right-hander this time was that he had inside-edged the ball onto his body, which may have softened up the blow that was painful for him but a cause of great laughs for others.