Moeen Ali is a poetic cricketer, a cricketer to watch, and almost everything he does is worth watching. When he has a bad Test, or a bad tour, he accommodates failure in his own way.
The first innings in Barbados was a lovely example of this. Advance publicity on Moeen is that the short ball can unsettle him. His instinct is to hook, but he knows that he probably shouldn't, and in going against instinct he has created a problem for himself. When his first delivery from Kemar Roach came flying down, chest high and on the line of his body, he did no more than offer the bat horizontally before the ball was on him, but being Moeen, a poetic cricketer to whom things happen, the merest shiver of the blade in his hands was enough to send a top edge almost eighty yards into the maw of long leg. It was an immaculate disaster.
With players like Moeen, it doesn't always matter what they do, but how they do it. His dismissal may have left the team in further trouble and the dressing room in high dudgeon, but it had flair. It had drama. It had humour, the very black kind that makes you laugh at the ridiculousness of it all - of cricket and of life.
When he was thirteen years old, Moeen scored 195 in a T20 game, a knock of which his younger brother Omar says, 'it is nearly twenty years since that evening, but it is by far the greatest innings I have seen in cricket.' That's because Moeen is an aesthete and the things he does and the way he does them live on in the mind. In that sense he's kin to any number of otherwise disparate sportsmen, from Alex Higgins to Herol Graham or even George Best, where it's not really about numbers or statistics but what you remember of them [incidentally, Higgins once took this line too far in an argument with Jimmy White over a hotel room, of which Higgins claimed occupancy, "because he was an aesthete" and would appreciate it in a way that Jimmy wouldn't. Yet as the man who reported on the row, Jonathan Rendall, pointed out, so was Jimmy White, perhaps even more so than Higgins*].
It's something that pragmatists, of which there are many in sport, never get. England didn't so much have a bad day at the office in Barbados as drive to the office pathetically late and then crash through the wall while trying to park the car. But like Prince Philip, they'll simply have a gleaming new Land Rover delivered the next morning and start driving again, ignoring the deeper problem that it's not the broken car, it's the fact that they're 97 years old - or in England's case, that they are a team full of all rounders, three of which are wicketkeepers.
Moeen's destiny is in sharp focus because of it. He is, clearly, a batsman who bowls, yet England need a bowler who bats, and he will be caught in this cleft forever now. Perhaps his personality is not quite forceful enough to escape, in the way that Ben Stokes' has been. Moeen's batting is as under-rated as Stokes' is over-rated, and in both cases that is by a little rather than a lot. Steve Harmison once said of Stokes that if England treated him like a number eight, then he would bat like one. Well Moeen has not so much been treated as a number eight as something mutable, shiftable, disposable.
Imagine, briefly, that England had the top five that took them to the number one ranking they again crave: Strauss, Cook, Trott, Pietersen, Bell. Would Stokes get into that? He would not, which suggests he is a not a genuine Test match number five, any more than he is a number eight. Of England's other middle-order players, Bairstow at his best might challenge an out of sorts Bell; Jos Buttler for sure has some of the mad and imaginative genius of Pietersen, if not the adrenalised swagger that enabled Pietersen to do it from debut.
And Moeen? Well not now, but there is an alternative universe in which his talent and difference were embraced and nurtured in the way that Ian Bell's were. At his best, Moeen is that good, that beautiful, that aesthetic and it is England's loss that his is a path not taken. The pragmatists will never get it, but this is an immaculate disaster.
* From memory, the upshot of this stoush was that Higgins refused to yield and spent three days sleeping in the bath.
Three memories of cricket in 2024
16 hours ago
28 comments:
Moeen Ali is a poetic cricketer, indeed!! RCB has himm!! yay!!
Sage Fantasy
Really very good information for me, U also have blog related to cricket but it was in hindi. This is URL of my blog https://cricketmania.ga/2019/02/03/kya-2019-ka-worldcup-dhoni-ke-liye-aakhari-hoga
I read your content, I really like your post .. Recently i Check out the PSL Schedule 2020 , also ticket are available on sale.
Moeen has not been performing upto his talent that's strange
Packers And Movers Bangalore to Dhanbad
Packers And Movers Bangalore to Rajkot
Packers And Movers Bangalore to Jabalpur
Packers And Movers Bangalore to Vijayawada
Packers And Movers Bangalore to Warangal
Packers And Movers Bangalore to Kota
Packers And Movers Bangalore to Jamshedpur
Packers And Movers Bangalore to Gulbarga
Packers And Movers Bangalore to Belgaum
Packers And Movers Bangalore to Mysore
Wonderful Information. I read your information. I really like it. Thanks for sharing with us.
AOL is a worldwide-based multimedia company. By using the AOL Email service, you can send, receive or manage emails. AOL Email is the most secure email service provider platform but sometimes you may face some issues related to passwords or hacking. AOL Password is the key to your AOL Email Account that helps to protect your account from hackers. In case, If you forgot your AOL Email Password, then you don't need to worry. You can Recover AOL Mail Password and can do easily access your AOL Email Account. Otherwise, you can contact our AOL Email Supports Technical Team, they will deal you with your issues patiently.
How to Resolve Vcruntime140.Dll Was Not Found Error Message
Whenever a program is not installed completely on your computer and has some installation errors, it will lead you to the vcruntime140.dll was not found error message.
ijstartcanon
owndirectory
A very inspiring blog your article is so convincing.
Top colleges in coimbatore | Best engineering colleges in coimbatore
Such useful information. Thanks for sharing with us. Keep sharing again.
If you face any problems related to Roadrunner Email Problems, then you can contact us for instant help to fix Roadrunner Email Issues.
I read your post. It is amazing and helpful information for me. Thanks for sharing with everyone. I am Sofi Vergara, I am working as a tech expert at Yahoo support. I have 3 years of experience in this field. If you have any problems related to Yahoo Help etc, then please contact me for instant help related to Yahoo email problems.
Very Interesting Information. It's really helpful for me. Thanks for sharing with us.
Taking career-oriented Top Courses After 12th into consideration is another important factor for students. These days, many students have no idea about what to choose after the 12th. But it might be easy if they try to enhance their knowledge about what can provide them with a bright future. Since the career is the ultimate aim of every student and thus, choosing the courses keeping some of these aspects can help them.
Have you been searching for the Cash app customer service number if yes then it is the right place for you. Here you will get the 24/7 helpline number of the cash app and if you have any kind of issue in using the cash app, then they can also be resolved by a single click on this link.
A lot of cool information is on this blog. I am very happy I see this page.Sibbex
Very nice Blog and interesting as well keep going.
New Dell Server
Your content is well-written and simple enough for a novice to understand. As a result, it can be extremely beneficial to beginners. Thank you for sharing that information. I admire and respect writers like you.
sell old macbook
Technologistan is the popoular and most trustworthy resource for technology, telecom, business and auto news in Pakistan
Your article is well-written and understandable even to a novice. As a result, beginners may find it incredibly useful. Thank you very much for sharing that information with us. Writers like you inspire me and I admire and respect them.
mz7km480hahp
The Best cycle under 20000 is among the most popular categories in cycle touring. This range of prices is designed to appeal to the large majority of cycle tourers who are not interested in the most extreme and expensive machines. The key here is comfort and range. You still need the strength and efficiency to make long tours, but you don't need to sacrifice to get there. Hit the link here and get to know Cheapest Best Cycle Under 20000 In India Best cycle under 20000
Saukane Punjabi movie download hd one click
In this article we will tell you about Vanilla Icc Net worth, his early life, biography, career, and relationship status.
Irrigation dams
Irrigation dams
Thanks For The Blog Very Nice Keep It Up.
sell iphone xs max
thank you for the great blog
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. Its really an informative article. Lots of questions are raised in this article. Now its time to avail roller shutter london for more information.
Your article is well written and simple to understand. You make excellent points. Thanks you sharing great blog...
Moeen Ali is a great cricketer. Hi is my favorite cricketer. I liked him very much. He played a game very well. Now its time to avail Kabou taxi cab services in Southfield Mi for more information.
Sometimes, Thank you ecards can say what words alone can’t express—a perfect blend of thought and sentiment.
An-Najah National University(ANNU) is a leading academic institution in Palestine, known for its commitment to excellence, innovation, and community service.
With a rich history and a forward-looking vision, ANNU provides a dynamic learning environment that empowers students to achieve their goals and
make meaningful contributions to society. Offering a wide range of programs across various disciplines, ANNU combines cutting-edge research, modern facilities, and a supportive
campus community to nurture talent and foster creativity. The university actively engages in national and global partnerships, striving to address challenges and drive sustainable
development. Discover more about An-Najah University and its transformative impact by visiting www.najah.edu
Post a Comment