The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Moeen thrilled by double milestone
England spinner beats greats to 100 Test wickets and 2,000 runs
ENGLAND V SOUTH AFRICA
Moeen Ali has outdone some of cricket’s greatest names by reaching 100 Test wickets and 2,000 runs in only his 38th match.
The England all-rounder, who completed both feats on day two against South Africa at Lord’s, has done so more quickly than Garry Sobers and a host of other names which resonate through his sport’s history.
Moeen is merely grateful to have won enough caps to reach his milestones, though, in the wickets column especially.
At the mention of names like Sobers’, Moeen joked at the idea he may have exceeded them somehow.
“In my garden I was better than Sobers!” he said, with a raise of the eyebrows. “I’m just pleased to have played so many Tests.
“I’m much happier with my bowling stats in terms of having 100 wickets. I would never have thought I’d have 100 Test wickets.”
He has, after seeing off Hashim Amla (29) and then Dean Elgar (54) at HQ, as South Africa replied to England’s 458 all out in the first Investec Test with 214 for five by stumps.
New captain Joe Root has instructed Moeen to concentrate on wicket-taking over economy, a brief which suits him fine.
“I think Rooty wants me to attack a bit more,” added the 30-year-old, who hit 87 in an England total which owed most to the captain’s own 190.
“He wants me to take wickets and not worry too much about runs.
“That’s exactly how I used to think when I first came in the side. I used to try and take wickets and not bowl safe.”
Moeen prizes Amla’s wicket especially highly.
“That was the one – even though he’s a good friend – and I’ll give him some stick for it,” he said. “I’ve never got him in a Test before.” Moeen is determined to continue operating as a free spirit with both bat and ball. “I just play my natural way,” he said. “Coming into this game, I didn’t feel pressure at all.
“I’d scored a hundred in my last game. I enjoy batting at Lord’s.
“It’s just a game of cricket. It’s not real pressure – I try to enjoy it as much as I can.”
An atypical Lord’s pitch is playing to his strengths, and one delivery especially on the second day turned square from outside off-stump and over the top of middle-and-leg behind the back of batsman Theunis de Bruyn.
But he said: “I don’t get too overexcited. If I get too excited I’ll start bowling pies again.
“We saw in the first innings there was some spin out of nowhere at times. There’s spin out there, and that’s good for me.”