{"id":293873,"date":"2023-09-25T05:34:36","date_gmt":"2023-09-25T05:34:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=293873"},"modified":"2023-09-25T05:34:36","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T05:34:36","slug":"sam-hain-reveals-sleepless-night-before-impressive-england-debut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/%d1%81ricket\/sam-hain-reveals-sleepless-night-before-impressive-england-debut\/","title":{"rendered":"Sam Hain reveals sleepless night before impressive England debut"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sam Hain endured a restless night\u2019s sleep before making an England debut that has felt inevitable to many observers \u2013 even if he had \u201cmade peace\u201d with the chance never arriving.<\/p>\n
Despite boasting the second-highest List A average ever \u2013 only India\u2019s Ruturaj Gaikwad is better \u2013 and regularly turning out for England Lions, Hain has had to bide his time for senior recognition.<\/p>\n
With their World Cup stars resting, England finally thrust Hain to the fore for his first cap aged 28 and he maximised his opportunity by starring in a 48-run win over Ireland in the second Metro Bank one-day international.<\/p>\n
Hain had accepted his moment might never arrive because of the wealth of batting talent England have at their disposal but that did not mean he was not on edge leading up to his classy 89 off 82 balls.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThere\u2019s nerves there and that\u2019s because I really care,\u201d Hain said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really want to do well for England. I\u2019ve waited a long time for an opportunity and I am grateful for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually made peace that I might never, ever get the chance but doesn\u2019t mean I lacked ambition. I don\u2019t care who you are, anyone who says they\u2019re not nervous on a day like this would be lying.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a little bit of a sleepless night, waking up around 12am, 2am and 4am. When you realise you\u2019re awake, trying to get back to sleep, that\u2019s when you\u2019re really struggling. Probably the worst I\u2019ve been.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to do really well not only for my family, but for all the people that have supported me over the years. As debuts go, it was pretty special. It\u2019s one that I\u2019ll look back on for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
I really want to do well for England. I’ve waited a long time for an opportunity and I am grateful for it<\/p>\n
Hain was born in Hong Kong and raised on Australia\u2019s Gold Coast before moving to Warwickshire in 2012, aged 16, but his British parents still live Down Under so do not often see their son play in the flesh.<\/p>\n
However, Hain\u2019s England bow had extra resonance as his father Bryan was able to attend Saturday\u2019s match at Trent Bridge, having been on a working trip to France in recent weeks for the Rugby World Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s director of sport at the Southport (Queensland) school where I went,\u201d Hain explained. \u201cHe\u2019s here with about 40 or 50 of the pupils and they are over there playing a few games, watching a few games in the World Cup.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just by chance that he\u2019s over here and then flew over (on Friday) from France to here. I know how much my mum and dad did for me when I was younger. I think it will be pretty special for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hain took just a single from his first 11 balls and was dropped off his 12th before steadily blossoming at number five, a role he is not usually accustomed to as he has tended to bat higher for Warwickshire.<\/p>\n
He used his feet well and muscled a couple of fours down the ground but otherwise relied on timing and placement \u2013 plus one inventive scoop \u2013 before falling in the last over after taking England beyond 300.<\/p>\n
Hain might find himself more in demand in this format as England look towards the 2027 World Cup \u2013 when batters such as Joe Root and Dawid Malan, who have a similar tempo, will be 36 and 40 respectively.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really not looking too far ahead,\u201d Hain added. \u201cIt\u2019s been a long season. Things are just starting to open up for me with franchise opportunities.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI know how good that squad is that is going to India (for the World Cup), but I also know how good the players are that aren\u2019t in it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are all pushing our cases and we all obviously want to play for England, so it\u2019s a case of whatever will be, will be.\u201d<\/p>\n