For all the shout-outs about the depth of talent in all departments in English cricket, Moeen Ali somehow always held his place.
When Graeme Swann bid adieu to international cricket – leaving England to pick up the pieces from their impending Ashes loss – the selectors turned to Ali.
He made an immediate impact in whites, decimating top-notch sides with relative ease. His batting has a flamboyance attached to it and he’s the sort of batsmen who can bat at any position, and still amass a useful contribution.
However, is Ali regressing in his overall performance?
It may be a huge call, but will the English selectors make it by omitting Ali and giving Jack Leach a big push?
In the coloured clothing, England made their intentions to move on from Moeen Ali after back to back defeats to Sri Lanka and Australia in an eventually successful campaign.
In those crushing losses, Ali’s requirement as a player was more to do with scoring runs. It couldn’t have presented the all-rounder with golden opportunities like those give him the benefit of the doubt.
Alas, Moeen Ali’s flaws with tight lines and brashness got the better of him.
(AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
At the radar to replace Ali, the closest contender among the lot remains Jack Leach.
Jack Leach plotted a rescue mission, stood at the very middle and pulled out England from the brink of humiliation. Leach, who averaged a pitiful 4.66 backed up his rendition of a five-wicket haul against the Australians at Canterbury.
The 28-year-old exemplified the intent quite early on in the innings, cracking as many as 16 boundaries.
The loss of Rory Burns proved to be a blessing in disguise as Jason Roy, who followed by injecting his ambushing approach in the most extended format.
Boyd Rankin – who had a limited but an effective spell in the first innings – threatened to make an impact as massive as Tim Murtaugh.
However, an unfazed Leach dealt with the short ball safely. He did lob an easy chance to Gary Wilson – the lanky left-hander negotiated the precarious deliveries quite securely.
His slow left-arm orthodox has also yielded 20 wickets in five Tests.
Ali’s place is in question undeniably, but the likes of Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and the other batsmen have a different set of concerns ahead of themselves too.
The Englishmen have plenty of work to do if they are to survive the wrath of a balanced and venomous pace attack from Australia.
E-Meter
Roar Rookie
You'd play Ali because he's almost guaranteed to get Warner out with one of his pies.
Paul
Roar Guru
We were close!! I don't get the logic then Bob, Why keep a guy in the side who's clearly out of form? Unless of course they have no plans to play him?
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Actually, we were both wrong Paul. They've dropped Leach from their squad.!!
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
You don't think he's a chance of playing in the 1st test U? I take it you're expecting an all pace attack from the poms. It will be interesting to see how they eventually line up and I think we should take our cue from them, though it's hard to see Langer leaving Lyon out.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Yep, absolutely sensible. That means Leach then. .. I just hope our selectors are just as pragmatic when it comes to Starc/Siddle.
Paul
Roar Guru
I'd go for the bloke in form, every time Bob. I don't think the Test arena is a good place to try and get back into form and there's the knock on effect for the rest of the team who ALSO know you're a liability with bat & ball.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Who would you go with Paul? I couldn't deduce it from your post.
Paul
Roar Guru
Moeen doesn't seem to have been the same since his disasterous Ashes tour in Australia a few years ago. Clearly it's a mental thing, because he was playing some very good cricket in the seasons leading up to that tour. It's hard to know what to make of Leach. Played in Sri Lanka and did well, but did not play in the Windies. Top scored for England in that second innings but does that say more about his batting or how poorly the other 10 guys played. One bloke's badly out of form but is tried and true at this level against Australia in England. The other is new to Test cricket, moves the ball back into left handers and appears in form. I know who I'd choose.
U
Roar Rookie
Leach would cause real problems for Australia. He might play later in the series. Ali will get bounced out with the bat and smashed around whilst bowling
ColinP
Guest
Not with all left handers in the Australian side, moeen has been excellent at home last two years, expect him to be a surprise package
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Leach is more likely to take wickets than Moeen. What an unlikely effort with the bat. Epic.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
They might value Labs potential for runs more than MM's wickets. Given what happened in the practice game I can understand that.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Australia seems to be on the verge of playing two in Lyon and Labuschagne, with only 3 pacemen.
dungerBob
Roar Rookie
Leach will have the element of surprise too. I doubt too many of our fella's have seen a lot of him. Judging from the British media there is a real push for him but as Shauno says, is Edgbaston the place to debut him? The poms obviously know their pitches far better than we do so the Aussies might be very interested to see if England plays a spinner or not.
Shauno
Roar Rookie
Ali seems to have lost all form. Do England even need a front line spinner at edgbaston? 4 frontline seamers + stokes and root. I can't see the innings passing 100 overs (for either side), so the bowling load won't be high.