Moeen slams ‘old enemy’

Melbourne – England all-rounder Moeen Ali (above) has no sympathy for Australia’s banned cricketers and finds the whole team “rude”, British media reported.

Australian cricket was thrown into turmoil earlier this year when captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and batsman Cameron Bancroft were banned after a ball-tampering scandal during a Test in South Africa.

Many reacted with a mix of anger and schadenfreude, with pundits and former players suggesting Australia had brought it upon themselves with the aggressive way they played the game.

“They are the only team I’ve played against my whole life that I’ve actually disliked,” Moeen told The Times newspaper.

“Not because they are the old enemy but because of the way they carry on and their disrespect of people and players.”

Moeen, who helped England beat India 4-1 in the recent Test series, said he felt no sympathy for Smith, Warner and Bancroft.

“I’m someone who generally feels sorry for people when things go wrong but it’s difficult to feel sorry for them,” he said.

Tim Paine, who replaced Smith as Test captain, said the furore had been cathartic and would allow them to change their approach and team culture.

Paine, however, added it would not diminish their desire to play the game hard. – Reuters