'Moeen has got real issues': Ex-England skipper's outright warning to Ben Stokes and Co. amid 1st Ashes Test vs AUS
Moeen Ali was found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the 1st Ashes Test between Australia and hosts England.
Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali had to come out of retirement to feature in the star-studded playing XI of Ben Stokes and Co. for the 1st Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston. The 36-year-old reversed his retirement decision after fruitful discussions with England captain Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. Moeen was roped in by hosts England after spinner Jack Leach was ruled out of the Ashes due to a lower back stress fracture.
The England all-rounder bowled a peach of a delivery to dismiss Aussie batter Cameron Green in the 1st Test between the hosts and the Baggy Greens. Spinner Moeen also earned plaudits from legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh for his bowling heroics against Australia. Star spinner Moeen bowled the most overs for England in the 1st innings.
However, England suffered an injury scare before Stokes and Co. ran through the Australian tail at Edgasbton. Moeen had a blister on his index finger as the Englishman struggled to bowl for the hosts in his comeback Test on Day 3. Speaking to Sky Sports Cricket, ex-Engalnd skippers Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain opened up about Moeen's performance against the Australian side.
"[Applying the spray] shows Moeen has got real issues with that spinning finger because he hasn't been playing red-ball cricket. He is going to have a lot of bowling to do in this Test match and potentially the series," Atherton said. While Atherton was worried that Moeen is struggling with an injury, Hussain highlighted that the England all-rounder hasn't bowled regularly with the red Dukes.
"It is the whole debate about the difference between white-ball and Test cricket. Jonny Bairstow has not kept that much and we saw the sloppiness that happens after a day in the field. Moeen hasn't bowled with a red Dukes ball for a long, long time," added Hussain, who played 96 Tests for England.
Earlier, Moeen was found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct as the England star had to part ways with 25 per cent of his match fee. Moeen breached Article 2.20 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. The England spinner was seen applying a drying agent to his bowling hand near the boundary line.
