Fourth Test
England 328 v Pakistan 3-1 - Stumps, Day One
Peter Hayter reports from the Oval with Chris Stocks and Derek Pringle
THOSE debating the comparative merits of the last England team to hit the No.1 spot in Test cricket and the current crop of hopefuls who may become the next were unanimous on one issue at least, for no-one would waste their breath arguing that Moeen Ali comes anywhere near Graeme Swann as a front-line spinner. Not yet, anyway.
But, on day one of England’s final Test against Pakistan, their specialist slow bowler produced yet more evidence of why they consider him equally important to their chances of reaching the top and staying there, a brilliant century to keep them in the game to add to the contributions with which he helped his side to victory in the third Test at Edgbaston.
When Moeen came to the crease shortly after lunch the top order frailty that is becoming too regular to ignore had again been exposed, Pakistan’s pace attack, bolstered by the return of the pacy Wahab Riaz, tearing in and ripping it to shreds, at 110-5.
At that stage any hopes of the victory England were seeking to secure a series win with which to close in on the No.1 ranking, and complete the set of eight trophies against all other Test-playing opponents, were looking distinctly shaky.
Moeen’s response was a finelycrafted 108 out of 328 all out which, well supported by Jonny Bairstow and later Chris Woakes, kept them in the hunt for all of the above.
And in making his third Test ton, and second of the summer, to set alongside his 155 not out against Sri Lanka at Durham, arguably the most stylish No.7 England have ever fielded showed that while his bowling, if improving, is still some way short of Test class, his batting is getting closer with every knock.
Test class? The way he reached three figures was world class. With only last man James Anderson for company, he took his courage and the need for more runs to add to the 300 past which he had dragged his side in his hands, swung his bat hard and true at leg-spinner Yasir Shah and put him over the midwicket boundary for his second six.
And how the near-capacity crowd loved it, standing as one to cheer him to the skies an innings of rare beauty and a player of even rarer humility.
On his return from the World T20, reflecting on his role in the side,
Moeen told The Cricket Paper: “I know I’m not the best player. But I try with everything I have and even if not bowling or batting that well, I back myself that there are days when I can make a contribution and potentially help win matches for England.”
Australia experienced the force of that self-effacing nature last summer when Moeen chipped in with key contributions with bat and ball.
Here at The Oval, for the second Test running, Pakistan were getting to know the feeling, too.
Crusted first ball by a wicked bouncer from Wahab, Moeen also enjoyed a Kennington gas-holder full of good luck when he edged Mohammad Amir to Azhar Ali at third slip only for the ball to go to grass and former Pakistan star Ramiz Raja to describe his attempt to catch it as “absolutely pathetic”.
From then on Moeen did little wrong and so much wonderfully right. Building confidently on the form they showed in their second innings stand of 152 Birmingham, he and Jonny Bairstow ran like whippets and forced the pressure back on the bowlers, and in particular Yasir, the Lion of Lord’s who has become England’s pussycat.
Even after Bairstow fell for 55 at 203-6, Moeen moved on serenely to his own half-century while Woakes, following his lead, took the tiring Wahab for three fours in an over.
And when Moeen smashed Yasir to reach his ton he made the day emphatically his own. How England had needed him to do so.
Pakistan’s breakthrough came when Alex Hales clipped a breadand-butter leg-stump half-volley crisply but uppishly enough for Yasir, at midwicket, to dive to his right and come up with the ball in both hands.
The fielder had no doubts the ball had carried on the full. The batsman was similarly convinced it hadn’t.The TV umpire came down against him.
Even so, the sight of Cook being dropped by debutant Iftikhar Ahmed at first slip off Wahab suggested that, at 69-1, his side might make the most of his decision to bat first on a sportinglooking pitch. But all that changed in the space of three overs, as Cook, James Vince and Joe Root fell in a heap to leave England 74-4.
Cook, failing to heed the warning of his lucky escape chopped a ball from Sohail Khan into his stumps for 35.
Vince could only steer a beauty from Wahab into the hands of wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed for one.
Joe Root quickly passed 454 runs for the series, beating Denis Compton’s record for the highest total by an England batsman in a series against Pakistan but went searching for one and Sarfraz obliged to give Wahab a second wicket in four balls.
Risking front-foot no-balls throughout the day in his efforts to gain extra pace, Wahab paid for it when Bairstow drove a catch to backward point off his second no-ball of the 26th over.
But he gained his reward when, after having forced Gary Ballance further and further onto the back foot, he drew him forward into the drive and he edged straight to Azhar at third slip at 110-5.
At that stage England were in severe danger of collapse and losing their proud record of not losing a home Test after batting first since 2012.
By the close of another absorbing day, however, the discreet charm of Moeen Ali had brightened up their view no end.
And the fall of Sami Aslam to Stuart Broad in the penultimate over only made the picture rosier with Pakistan finishing on 3-1.