Friday 20 May 2016 11:30, UK
Bob Willis was impressed with an "out of character" innings from Alex Hales on day one of the first Investec Test between England and Sri Lanka.
The opener was 71 not out from 154 balls when the rain came down to curtail Thursday's play at Headingley with England 171-5.
Having struggled in South Africa over the winter, Hales appears to have learnt from his mistakes, according to Willis.
"It's always tough batting at Headingley under leaden skies and it was no surprise that England were put in to bat," he told Sky Sports.
"It was a quite out of character innings by Alex Hales, who you expect to be looking to hit fours and sixes all the time but he left the ball pretty well. It was a conscientious, rather slow but important opening stand.
"I think Hales has had to think about a lot of things. He started off trying to play Test cricket like he played one-day cricket and he found the bowling at the top level was far too good to try and do that. There are very few players who manage to go in and play shots at the top of the order and get away with it.
"He's been a bit more circumspect, I think he knows he's probably got these three matches to convince the selectors that he is qualified to open the batting for England in Test cricket. You've got to hand it to him for the way he played today.
"I don't think we want three players at the top of the order batting at the same pace as Compton and Cook so if the ball is there to be hit on a sunny day, on a flat wicket, I'm sure he'll hit it."
Willis also praised Jonny Bairstow's contribution and saw shades of an Australian great in the wicketkeeper's innings.
"Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow seemed to be given license to play their strokes," he said. "It didn't work out for Stokes but Bairstow played a Gilchrist-like counter-attacking innings and the partnership with Hales has got England part-way out of the mire."
Mahela Jayawardene was in agreement and felt Bairstow changed the whole complexion of the England innings.
"From ball one, he showed intent," said the Sri Lankan legend. "He's been batting really well this summer, he's got runs behind him and the use of his feet, playing spin, being aggressive - he changed the tempo of that England innings.
"Sri Lanka were on top but he came in, played mostly controlled shots, but it was more like a one-day innings that he played and it probably helped Hales to come out of his shell again."
Watch live coverage from day two of the first Test between England and Sri Lanka at Headingley, live on Sky Sports 2 from 10.30am on Friday. You can also catch highlights from day one at 8pm on Sky Sports 3, with The Verdict following immediately after at 9pm.
