Moeen can’t wait to get into action

Moeen Ali has seen off the first dangerous predator of his maiden Ashes tour and is out to help tame the hosts’ much-hyped bowling attack, too.

While Moeen was keeping the crocodiles safely at arm’s length at the Billabong Sanctuary Native Wildlife Park in Townsville yesterday, a two-hour flight south in Brisbane Mitchell Starc was already talking a fierce game on behalf of Australia’s pace bowlers as they honed their skills in a training camp at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field.

Moeen, fit to play in this week’s warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI after sitting out the first two tour fixtures with a “slight side strain”, did not flinch when Townsville mayor Jenny Hill announced the names of the roosters he and Alastair Cook would be feeding to crocodiles Caesar and Bully.

It transpired Caesar was not in the mood to gulp down either ‘Moeen’ or ‘Alastair’ but four-and-ahalf metre long Bully had a fair appetite as the two tourists dangled the food from the safety of a balcony over the salt-water lagoon.

For Moeen, it was a first public appearance of this two-week old tour and he made clear he has spent enough time on the sidelines and is out to make his presence felt in the first Test in Brisbane next week.

“I can’t wait, getting a bit of game time in my system (here) and then ready to play at the Gabba,” said the key allrounder, whose job has become all the more important in the absence of Ben Stokes.

“I’m very excited, looking forward to the atmosphere. It doesn’t faze me. I’m just going to come out and play like I always do for England and give it my best shot.” Aberdeen Standard Merlins Gordonians shared six goals with Erskine Stewart’sMelville FPs leaving the Edinburgh outfit one point ahead of Merlins in second place in National League Division 2.

Highland beat Aberdeen Grammar FPs 2-1 in the North District Division 1 top-of-thetable match and move above Aberdeen Grammar FPs in the table.

In North District Division 2 Aberdeen Bon Accord MBC 2nds retained top spot with a 7-0 win against Aberdeen University 4ths.

“I’m looking forward to the atmosphere”