I’m a batsman first, insists 25-wicket Ali
MOEEN ALI may have taken 25 wickets in the Test series triumph over South Africa, but he insists that spinning is still his second suit. ‘No matter how many wickets I get, I’m definitely always going to be a batter,’ said Moeen after his man-ofthe-series performances in England’s 3-1 victory. ‘Batting is the stronger side of my game and when the opportunity comes to bat up the order, I can do that. In India I was batting at four or five, which was nice, but here it has been seven and then eight. But the team needed me to do that.’ Moeen paid credit to coach Saqlain Mushtaq for the improvement in his off-spin and said the former Pakistan bowler played a key role in the crucial wicket of Hashim Amla at Old Trafford that hurried England to victory. ‘I needed the toilet real bad and I spoke to Saqqy when I went off,’ said Moeen. ‘We talked and decided to put a silly point in for Hashim and maybe it put something in his mind because I bowled shorter and he went back.’ Moeen was grateful to his team-mates for respecting his religion when they celebrated with champagne after Monday’s win. ‘I stay away from that kind of stuff and the team understand that,’ Moeen, who is Muslim, added. ‘Alastair Cook said, “Make sure we take the team picture first” and then I moved out of the way. I don’t feel I miss out. It’s spraying a bottle. It’s not that exciting.’ lNICK
GUBBINS’S chances of a Test debut appear to be over after he injured his hamstring yesterday. The Middlesex opener was tipped to replace Keaton Jennings against West Indies by
Sportsmail’s Nasser Hussain, and will have a scan on his hamstring in the coming days.