ENG vs WI 2017: Pink Ball will be Interesting at Twilight – Moeen Ali

Dec 31, 2018 at 1:59 PM

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ENG vs WI 2017: Pink Ball will be Interesting at Twilight – Moeen Ali

England’s slow-bowling all-rounder Moeen Ali, who has played a significant role for the home side in the recent past, is confident of doing well in the Pink-ball Test against Windies which is scheduled to begin at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Thursday (August 17), as he further believes it would be an exciting feature to start with.

“Seeing it [pin ball] is fine. It will be interesting at twilight, but I will try not to think about it,” Ali was quoted as saying by AFP.

While talking to its length and breadth, the 30-year-old Ali believes Pink ball would not take much time to learn the niceties of it, as he added that it won’t be tough owing to the conditions, in the professional field.

“It’s [pink ball] different… it feels lighter off the bat,” Ali added.

At home conditions earlier this month, the off-spinner Ali was adjudged Man of the series for his all-round show, in the four-match Investec series against South Africa which the hosts claimed 3-1 after wrapping up the winner in Manchester.

“Sometimes you don’t feel like you’ve hit it, and it goes; other times you’ve nailed it, and it doesn’t,” Ali further added.

In the recently concluded Investec series against the Proteas, Ali bagged 25 wickets and scored 252 runs for the hosts while being the chief architect for his side.

It’s pertinent to mention, Ali has been sweating it out in the nets with the new-ball after coming into the limelight to face the pink ball challenge against Jason Holder-led side at his home ground.

“But you get used to it … I did by the end of the (net) session,” Ali remarked.

(Read Also: Moeen Ali has Become an Important Sporting Figure in England — Nasser Hussain)

Interestingly, it would be England’s inaugural day and night Test, as Ali is looking forward to cementing his spot while donning the white jersey for the Three Lions. Ali has played for the English County side Warwickshire, before joining the ranks of Worcestershire, as he was eventually picked for the national side by England Cricket Board (ECB).

After featuring in the day-night competition in the County Championship, Ali was able to bowl just three overs after smashing a fifty, in a bid to prepare for the forthcoming series.

“The seam is good – it’s not quite as slippery. It spun, maybe because the seam is hard,” Ali maintained.

On the other side, the pink ball has been a hot debate in the gentleman’s game owing to the lack of quality swing, as red-ball used to swing in the traditional form of cricket.

“The pink ball is not an alien thing. It’s just perception, opinion and psychology,” the pink ball director for Dukes Dilip Jodija told Britain’s Press Association.

However, the British manufacturers’ Dilip Jodojia has rubbished the claims while stating the critics are not well informed, as he introduced the Dukes in 1987.

“Cricketers are nutters, and I know because I am one, but I’ve also been involved in making cricket balls for 45 years,” Jodija remarked.

Moreover, the England will face a daunting challenge with Ashes on the horizon to face the campaign with Kookaburra ball in the series Down Under against Australia scheduled from November 23 in Brisbane.

“I ask for real evidence and at this moment there is no issue with the ball,” Jodija concluded.

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