We will come out with a plan against Yasir Shah in second innings, says Moeen Ali
Apr 6, 2019 at 2:16 PM
English all-rounder Moeen Ali has said that the English batsmen will attack Pakistani leg-spinner Yasir Shah when they come out to bat in the second innings. Ali said that the batsmen will be looking to use their feet more confidently against Shah and will wait for the bad balls to score runs.
Shah wreaked havoc on England’s batting line-up by taking 6 wickets for 72 runs in the first innings. England’s batsmen were completely clueless against Shah and were dismissed for 272 runs in reply to Pakistan’s first innings total of 339.
By the end of third day’s play, Pakistan were 214 for 8, with their overall lead extended to 281 runs. Considering the fact that England highest successful chase at Lord’s is 284 runs, which came against New Zealand in 2004, the English batsmen will have to play out of their skin to take a 1-0 lead in the four- Test series.
“In the first innings we didn’t bat very well,’ he said. ‘We want to put that right. A lot of us want to score runs in the second innings and hopefully, win the game. But it’s going to be tough against their leg-spinner.”
“The guys will definitely come out with a plan. In the first innings we got caught on the crease, so we need to use our feet against him.
He attacks the stumps, which makes him harder to play, but he does bowl bad balls as well. He’s a human being, at the end of the day.”
Ali also heaped praise on his teammate Chris Woakes, who is by far the best English player in the match. Woakes followed his first-innings figures of 6-70 with 5-31 in the second innings to become the first England bowler to take five or more wickets in each innings of a Test at Lord’s since Ian Botham in 1978. This is also Woakes’ maiden 10-wicket haul in a Test match.
“He just needs a hundred now and then he can go on all three boards in the changing-room,’ said Ali.
“He’s bowled brilliantly in this Test.”
Yasir Shah(30) and Mohammad Amir (0) will resume Pakistan’s innings on the fourth day.