Mo facing a fight to play in Brisbane
ENGLAND’S hopes of giving their preferred first Ashes Test side as much Australian experience as possible suffered another blow when Moeen Ali was ruled out of the first two warm-up matches yesterday.
And Steven Finn faces a battle to stay in Australia following his late call-up as a squad replacement for Ben Stokes after also being ruled out of the games here today and in Adelaide next week.
Finn suffered a self-inflicted injury — he hit his left knee with his bat during England’s first real practice session here on Thursday.
But Moeen is England’s major worry as they try to upset the odds and retain the Ashes. Moeen has a left- side problem that makes it painful for him to bowl.
England seem relaxed about his chances of playing in the final warmup in Townsville before the first Test in Brisbane on November 23 but they cannot afford to be without two of their three world- class all-rounders at the Gabba.
Moeen has been outstanding with bat and ball for a year or so and England desperately need him fit, particularly with Stokes almost certain to miss the whole series.
Moeen suffered a side problem in the Ashes summer of 2015 but it quickly healed and England remain confident he will bat at No 7 in the Ashes just behind Jonny Bairstow.
Finn is not so important to England’s chances but he will be monitored in the next week before it is decided whether he will travel to Queensland for the final warm-up.
The Middlesex fast bowler said this week that he was bored with questions about his premature departure from England’s last Ashes tour when he lost his action and became ‘unselectable’. Yet he faces an even earlier departure now after his freak injury.
If Finn cannot prove his fitness then Mark Wood is the most likely replacement — so long as he proves himself fit in the Lions shadow expedition to Australia.
The most immediate beneficiary is Craig Overton who, out of nowhere, went into today’s game against a weak-looking Western Australian XI as favourite to bat at No 9 and complete England’s seam bowling line-up in Brisbane.
Overton owed his inclusion to an injury to Toby Roland- Jones and the decline of Finn, but now his sharp bowling and decent lowerorder batting for Somerset see him on the brink of a Test debut.
That would not be without controversy. Only two years ago Overton was accused of telling then Sussex batsman Ashar Zaidi to ‘go back to your own f****** country’ during a Championship match at Hove.
Overton was banned for two games and had anger management therapy. ‘What happened made me realise that I couldn’t carry on like that,’ said Overton, who always denied making racist comments.
‘I don’t want to lose my edge, just make sure I don’t go too far.’