Moeen Ali: England have dealt with a massive blow as all-rounder Moeen Ali has been injured heading into the fifth day of the Ashes opener at Edgbaston. Moeen, who is expected to play a crucial role in the fourth innings, had a blister on his index finger. The southpaw struggled to bowl for hosts in his comeback Test.
Moeen’s absence from bowling in the fourth innings would be severally felt as England do not have good spin bowling options apart from the CSK player. Joe Root bowls part-time off-spin but unlike Moeen, does not spin the ball much. With England still needing seven wickets to win the first Ashes Test, Moeen’s non-bowling could be a body blow for the hosts.
ENG vs AUS 1st Test set for thrilling finish, Australia need 174, England need 7 wickets on Day 5
Moeen Ali: Nathan Lyon comes in support of Moeen Ali, says tough to bowl so many overs in comeback Test
Australia off-spin Moeen Ali sympathized with Moeen and said it is tough on English spinner to bowl so many overs despite not playing Test cricket for over two years. The southpaw earned a shocking Test recall for Ashes after skipper Ben Stokes insisted on including the all-rounder in the five-match Test series.
“It’s massive, to be honest with you I actually sitting here have a lot of sympathy for Moeen. Not coming off any red-ball cricket for two years and thrown into bowling a lot of overs.”
“The best way I can probably sum it up, and it will probably sound weird, is a singer losing their vocals but expecting to go out and put a concert on.
It is extremely tough to grip the ball as finger spinners, especially as offies, we put our fingers on the seam and try to spin up the back of the ball.
That’s where we get spin, drop, and drift. So a lot of sympathy for him, I’ve been there before, it is quite painful,” Lyon added in his chat with the media.
Heading into day five of the Edgbaston Test, all results are possible on day five. Australia need 174 runs to win the Test, while England need seven wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
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