THREE IS JUST THE NUMBER FOR MO

THREE will be the magic number for Moeen Ali at the Oval as England look to get their plans in place for the winter.

The spin-bowling all-rounder (above) has long considered himself a batsman who bowls, and after starring at first drop for Worcestershire, he was given the chance to try it in the second innings for England at Southampton.

Arguably the move worked, with Joe Root able to move to his preferred No.4 position from where he added a vital 48 before being run out.

Moeen revealed he would like to stay at three for England and after a familiar-looking 13-man squad was named for the Oval, it looks as though he will get his chance.

“In the right conditions I wouldn’t put it past Mo to bat at three,” said England coach Trevor Bayliss (above). “He works hard at his game and was given a go there in the second innings.

“We have winter tours to the sub-continent and West Indies and he plays spin reasonably well.

“In spinning conditions he can cover that spot pretty well at the moment but his challenge will be on the faster wickets. But we haven’t got any of those for a while.”

Chris Woakes has been declared fit to return to the side after missing out at the Ageas Bowl with a quad injury and he could replace Adil Rashid in the side at the Oval on Friday after an ineffective series from the leg-spinner.

And with no wicketkeeper named in the squad, there could be a return to the gloves for Jonny Bairstow who is fit enough to keep and looked a fish out of water without them in Southampton.

ENGLAND 5th TEST SQUAD

Cook, Jennings, Moeen, Root (c), Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler, Woakes, Curran, Broad, Anderson, Rashid,