Mick Newell has challenged Alex Hales to follow up his maiden One-Day International century with more big runs for England.
The Nottinghamshire Director of Cricket says Hales' match-winning knock of 117 against Pakistan on Friday proved his ability to build a substantial innings at the highest level.
Now, with two matches still to play starting in Sharjah tomorrow, Newell is urging the 26-year-old to fire his country to a series victory.
“He’d shown glimpses and everybody hoped it would be a matter of time before he kicked on and made a big score,” said Newell.
“He did that on Friday and most importantly he setup a victory for England. He’ll be more pleased to have contributed towards a win.
“There were lots of good things about the innings and the most important thing is how he reacts to it going forward from now. Does he kick on and really show his skill during the remainder of the series?
“The important thing was to lay down some scores to show, after 20 matches in the England one-day side, that he’s learning and he’s improving,” Newell continued.
“He’s now done that and the important thing will be how he kicks on during the rest of this series with two matches to go.
“If he helps England win the series that would be even better. It’s about showing he can cope with the demands of the international team and he’s definitely showing that.”
Hales originally made his name in an England shirt with a succession of explosive performances in Twenty20 cricket.
Content to play the supporting role in an opening stand of 102 with Jason Roy, the Notts man's approach to batting on Friday was - initially at least - far more sedate.
While the considered approach may have taken aback many England supporters, it came as no surprise to Newell.
“I’m sure, after the first game when England played so poorly, they would have had a lot of chats about how they were going to build a score,” he said.
“Alex is very capable of building an innings. If you look at a lot of his successful scores for Notts, it’s not necessarily when he goes off like a train in the first ten overs.
“He knows if he bats 35 to 40 overs he’s going to make that major hundred which will allow the team to make a big score.
“People shouldn’t think he plays exactly the same way in 50-over cricket as in the gung-ho manner of Twenty20.
“He’s a proper batsman, he knows how to build an innings and he demonstrated that on Friday.”
Hales is not the only Nottinghamshire and England batsman that's been in the runs during the current series against Pakistan.
James Taylor scored 60 in the first match of the series, enjoying a partnership of 133 with Eoin Morgan which helped England recover from 14-3 to 147-4, although sadly a second collapse then consigned the tourists to a below-par total of 216 all out.
Newell praised Taylor’s 'typical' trademark tenacity but reflected that the Outlaws captain will have been disappointed not to post a three figure score of his own.
“It was typical Titch,” said Newell. “He got the team out of trouble and gave them a chance.
“But it was disappointing for him to get out with 15 overs to go, because he’s shown for us and for England that he can go on and make that century.
“The team’s score would have been much more substantial had he done that.
“He’ll be frustrated that he only got 60 because, having got England out of a difficult situation, he would have wanted to setup a bigger total.”
England are returning to the scene of their Ashes triumph in 2016 for Royal London One-Day Internationals against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Don't miss the opportunity to watch some of the best players in the world go toe-to-toe in the unique surroundings of Trent Bridge and secure your seats now.