BAT’S THE WAY FOR MO
CRICKET
TREVOR BAYLISS says Moeen Ali can continue to thrive with England – thanks to the pressure being off. After being rebranded as just the back-up spin option, Moeen hit new heights with the ball after running through South Africa at Lord’s on Sunday. Moeen, 30, responded to a change in job description with a career best 10-wicket haul in the 211-run first Test win. Now coach Bayliss believes England must stick with his role as a batsman who bowls rather than as a genuine all-rounder or first-choice spinner. He said: “It is probably more for Mo’s benefit that he is seen as the second spinner, to take that little bit of pressure off him. “He does see himself as a batter No.1 and a spinner second. “Mo is a bit of a complex character at times. But I think this Test match was a sign that it’s probably the way to go with him. “We’ll stick with one spinner and one batter that bowls a little.
Start
“That’s important for Mo more than anything. He wants to be in the team as a batter that bowls a bit, so we’ve selected him as a batter and the second spinner. “Hopefully, this match is the start of things to come for him.” England yesterday named an unchanged team for the second Test at Trent Bridge, starting on Friday. That means another shot for Liam Dawson, who bagged a pair at Lord’s but chipped in with four wickets as a useful foil to Moeen. Bayliss added: “Dawson played a very good role and if it is tight at the other end, that allows Mo to attack. “It just gives us plenty of options. The combination we had in this game could play out on a lot of wickets.” South Africa pace ace Kagiso Rabada is suspended after swearing at Ben Stokes but returning Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis said: “I’d never say to KG, ‘Change the way you are’. “It’s important that he plays the way he does. For not one second must he lose that.” South Africa were also rocked yesterday after it emerged that head coach Russell Domingo’s mother had died after a car crash. Domingo had rushed back at the weekend to be at her bedside in Port Elizabeth.