As a white middle class man born in the 60’s and someone who voted out at the referendum I want to state that watching Moeen Ali make a century for England today at the Oval gives me the most overwhelming sense of pride and feeling of joy. It’s too much to ask of this young sportsman from the midlands who happens to be a Muslim who represents England at cricket to carry any sort of burden from the world he finds himself in but every time I see him wear the England badge I sense he is a wonderful example of what could be. It’s only a game and he’s just one man but what a wonderfully talented, humble, gracious man he is. The sight of him politely standing back when the rest of the team start spraying the champagne around just makes him more endearing. *Goes off singing Moeen Ali to the “No Limits” tune……..
Moeen Ali
by 22 Comments
As a Worcestershire supporter, Moeen has given me an enormous amount of pleasure over the years and I feel a certain amount of reflected glory in having sung his praises to fellow cricket lovers during his formative years.
Like you, Dave, I particularly like his modesty and grace – this and the fact that he is such a glorious, elegant batsman to watch.
It matters not to me that he’s a Muslim. He’s Worcestershire and England but if he changes perceptions and anti-Muslin prejudice, that can only be a good thing as well.
And so you should bask….. Is he a batsman that bowls or a bowler who bats? The former for me…..
Definitely a batsman that bowls (quite well).
He is a natural at number 7 and why they ever tried him as an opener in the UAE is bizarre with hindsight. I believe Hales will cement himself into a good opener. Not sure about the future of Vince though.
I agree – a batsman who bowls and he’s done a better job as a bowler for England than I ever expected of him but it’s in the absence of a genuine world-class spin option for England. If we had a genuine Test class spinner, he would probably have to move up the order (but not as opener – that was a disastrous experiment).
I’m afraid that Vince is playing his last Test so let’s imagine a line-up for the first Test in India this winter. Cook is obviously one of the openers and Hales has probably done enough to retain his place; Root is obviously set in stone in the XI and three seems the most likely slot for him; maybe Moeen comes in at four; Stokes at five; Bairstow, six; Woakes seven; Rashid comes in at eight and provides the second spin option; with nine, ten and jack as Broad, Finn/Ball/Wood and Anderson. Root gives a few more overs with his off-spin.
I think Moeen’s capable of batting that high, although I like him better at six/seven but he’s a flexible cricketer and Rashid isn’t too high at eight (Broad is too high at nine these days though, sadly).
Seven and a half bowlers, including three genuine all-rounders! An embarrassment of riches at the moment
Stokes is key. When fit he’s an automatic selection. Which allow Joss Butler to come into the side, bat 7 and keep wicket, replacing Vince. Pushing Bairstow and Moeen up the order.
Bringing Butler into this test, again replacing Vince, would have allowed the possibility of bringing in Rashid.
However, they (Cooke, Bayliss, the selectors) don’t seem that enamoured of Rashid at Test level. While his Test performances to date haven’t set the world alight, he’s worth an extended run in my view.
Rashid hasn’t set the world alight but he’s the best/most experienced of the contenders to act as second spinner (if we take Moeen as being the first) and would therefore be in my side in the sub-continent.
Buttler I’m less sure of. Bairstow is unquestionably worth his place as a batsman and whilst he may be in the grand old English tradition of not being the best wicket-keeper in the country, he is improving and is not (in my opinion) noticeably worse than Buttler, whose form last summer and in the UAE meant that he HAD to be dropped. Until Bairstow gives the selectors a reason to drop him, I’m afraid Jos will be limited (no pun intended) to the limited overs formats.
The romantic in me would have loved Monty Panesar to have been playing well enough to be in the squad. Genuine form on the sub-continent.
All the talk around of taking the gloves off Jonny Bairstow bemuses me. He is doing a perfectly good job as keeper, and is currently undroppable as a batsman, so why would you want to reduce our bowling options by bringing Buttler back to keep? Especially when Ben Stokes is ready to come back, when we could have 3 genuine all-rounders with Moeen and Chris Woakes (4 in the winter when Adil Rashid should come in as 2nd spinner, probably ahead of Steven Finn).
A great innings from a very talented cricketer. He shouldn’t have to be anything other than that.
Any more than Jonny Bairstow or Chris Woakes or Joe Root.
Unfortunately, he will be cited and lauded and critiqued for all the reasons your post’s conflation of you being a white man of a certain age, his being a muslim and the Leave vote point towards.
You shouldn’t have to allude to anything other than his innings and his talent.
It’s interesting that you do.
Point taken but I deliberately set myself up as being in the demographic who should probably have a problem with Moeen Ali. Being a cricket nut all my life has given me a very balanced view on life I assure you. However in a world where the word Muslim is unfortunately, inevitably linked to bad things only the truly naïve can ignore the force for good Moeens heroics can hopefully be. All those children who watch him as part of an England 11 can only be helped to make a more rational judgement. I will agree that in the final analysis he is just a great cricketer
I understand Dave and I know you are acting from pure motives but the fact you have to call yourself out in the way you do is indicative of the wider issue.
Sadly, not Moeen, any more than Amir Khan or Mo Farah or Nadiya from Bake Off will help change the perception of Muslims in certain people eyes.
I am a massive cricket fan too. A sports fan in general. But sadly there are all too many who can admire, say, Sir Viv Richards in one sentence, call him the greatest batsman of all time and then dismiss black people as n words the next.
I am not advancing myself as some supremely tolerant being, I am not. I just don’t think that ingrained attitudes are easy to shift.
He’s a glorious strokeplayer. That six to get his century today was fantastic.
Oh my giddy aunt @daveamitri, I bloody love Moeen. I’ve been to the Oval a few times in the last couple of years – my daughter lives a mere 20 minute walk away, but is completely disinterested – and it is sooooo exciting.
I saw the New Zealand ODI last summer, totally lucked out with my day 4 ticket for the final Ashes test and saw the whole shooting match, but my last visit left my speechless…
At the Sri Lanka ODI I decided to sit in the posher Bedford stand, next to the Pavilion, not realising my seat was only two rows in front of the players changing rooms and where they sit when they’re not on the pitch.
As the team came out, to rousing cheers, Moeen (only a few feet from me) caught my eye and did a double take, totally looking at me! I smiled and blushed and, if I’m honest, giggled like a girl.
He only knocked single figures but I was in swoonsville. Jason Roy was the superstar of the day.
Oh how I love cricket. And England. And the Oval. And Moeen.
And I’m a Glasgow girl ❤️
The majority of players in this series are muslim, so Ali is hardly remarkable in that respect. Last week at Edgbaston I sat behind four lads from Huddersfield who were supporting Pakistan but also cheered everything Moeen did. But then so did the whole crowd, because he was born, grew up and lives about a mile away in Sparkhill.
If you want a truly remarkable triumph against the odds, look at Jonny Bairstow. He’s amazing, considering he’s a ginge.
Just a few weeks ago, people were calling for him toe be dropped. Saying he’s not good enough at either batting or bowling to be in the side. So fickle.
If I can broaden out the thread, this has been a wonderfully uplifting series, not just Moeen Ali’s batting in the last tests which has been splendid. He is a wonderful player to watch, can play riskily but, oh my, some of his driving is Gower-like and that is no exaggeration. I admire his modesty when he celebrates and he is a key player in the team. I wouldn’t move him from where he is, not sure he has the game for higher up the order. It’s worse for the opposition to see him coming in at 7 when they think they have run through England’s batting. In the absence of an alternative, I would keep Hales in because he has shown signs of learning from mistakes and he could yet turn into a test opener. Vince looks a wonderful batsman but then does something stupid (I think he could be the new Ian Bell who did nothing in his first test series and then blossomed). I would leave Ballance out and find a place for Rashid. I would also tell Broad to work on his batting again, it’s gone to pieces again.
Even though I believe England will probably win the series, Pakistan have been a real credit led by the wonderfully dignified Misbah. This series had the potential to be a little nasty with the return of Amir, but nothing happened there, and the atmosphere in the crowd and relationship between teams has been great.
The highlight for me was the interview on TMS during the Edgbaston test with Malala Yousufzai. It seems trite and obvious to say what a remarkable person she is, but she is, and they way she talked about her love for cricket and why she loved Afridi as a cricketer was both very touching and spot on.
Well said that man.
Vince has so far played a bit like Lyth did last year (Headingley aside).
Looks lovely when he’s there, then just gets out, a propos of almost nothing. How frustrating.
Ballance is not my favourite, he’s an ugly cricketer, when the best make it look beautiful. He’s lucky to be there at all, for me, but OOAA.
It’s been a fascinating series to watch (albeit Ch5 highlights only) and I agree, Misbah comes across as a deeply likable man.
Talking of TMS, the “Spin Twins answer your questions” podcast is well worth a listen.
Just look at Gary Ballance’s record – averages over 45 in 18 tests. I agree he’s not the most elegant batsman in the world, but he is mightily effective at his best. England were wrong to bat him at 3 (he had very little experience there) but I defy you to find a better specialist batsman to bat at 5.
I think it is admirable that if they have faith in a player, the selectors tend to stick with them for a while. Back in the 80s and 90s, it was almost a revolving door of players! 🙂
So, fair enough to stick with Vince (who does seem to have a touch of class about him) and Hales. However, tend to agree with FIn59 about bringing in Buttler and Stokes when fit, at the unfortunate expense of Vince and Ballance.
As for Mo, I agree with Dodger above that his cover drives have a touch of Gower about them. What is clear, is that he is an an out and out team man. He could easily bat higher up and possibly should but seems ready to fulfill whatever role the captain and coach ask of him. With bat or ball. Albeit, not quite as well with ball 🙂
His team mates seem to like him very much and I must say so do ! Go Mo! 🙂
I know nothing whatsoever about cricket or cricketers, but greatly enjoyed your tribute to this modest and rather wonderful chap. Have an Up.
I thought I’d put this here for any cricket lovers that may have missed it. Even changed my avatar to Mo……
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/may/20/moeen-ali-england-cricket-world-cup-ashes-interview?CMP=share_btn_tw