PEACEMAKER MO
Ali blocked team from escalating row over Aussie ‘Osama’ slur
Moeen Ali dissuaded his england teammates from pursuing further action against an unnamed Australian opponent after allegedly being called ‘osama’ during the 2015 Ashes.
in his forthcoming autobiography, serialised by the Times newspaper, the 31-year-old says he was subject to the racial slur during england’s first Test victory in Cardiff.
it is understood publishers Allen & Unwin were left disappointed when Moeen removed the accused’s identity from the final manuscript, a decision that follows resistance three years ago to follow his colleagues’ push to report the on-field flashpoint to match referee Ranjan Madugalle.
Moeen claims that the Australian player told him: ‘Take that, osama.’ This was taken to be a reference to islamist terrorist osama bin laden due to the england player’s bearded appearance and faith.
His opponent countered that he had actually sledged: ‘Take that, you part-timer.’
england coach Trevor Bayliss, currently back home in Australia ahead of the winter tour to Sri lanka, confirmed to the Sydney
Daily Telegraph: ‘no, he didn’t want it to go any further. He’s a very softly spoken sort of a bloke. He doesn’t want to create too many problems for anyone.
‘There were other players in the team who wanted to take it further but he talked them into not taking it any further.’
Cricket Australia, currently in the midst of a cultural review led by former international Rick McCosker in the wake of 12month bans for former captain Steve Smith and David Warner plus a nine-month suspension for Cameron Bancroft, has said it will look into the revelations.
‘Remarks of this nature are unacceptable and have no place in our sport, or in society,’ said a CA spokesperson.
‘We have a clear set of values and behaviours that comes with representing our country.’
However, Bayliss said as far as he was concerned the issue was consigned to history after he took the allegation to then Australian coach Darren lehmann — despite not receiving a response from his opposite number.
‘i’m not going to make too much of it, it was three years ago, let’s move on,’ he said.
‘everyone has sort of forgotten about it and moved on since then. i don’t see it as any real big deal.’ The eCB have the opportunity to vet players’ books, such as Moeen’s, before publication.
An eCB spokesperson said last night: ‘on the day, Moeen Ali spoke to the england management and the matter was addressed with the Australian team.
‘ We are aware that Cricket Australia are looking into the incident and the eCB will, clearly, support their enquiries. There should be no place in cricket for such language or behaviour.’
When asked about the claims on Saturday, after he captained Worcestershire to a maiden Twenty20 title at edgbaston, Moeen refused to comment.