England expect Moeen Ali to be fit to play at Lord's

Rory Dollard 04:53 16/07/2015
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  • Pulling through: Moeen.

    England will make a late call on Moeen Ali’s fitness for the second Ashes Test at Lord’s, but captain Alastair Cook expects the all-rounder to be ready.

    Moeen played a key role in the series opening success at Cardiff, hitting a brisk 77 in the first innings and picking up five wickets in the match. But he felt some soreness in his side after the four-day win, raising concerns over a possible relaps of the injury that sidelined him earlier this year.

    England handed Moeen a reduced training schedule on Tuesday, but Cook played down the issue after the Worcestershire man took a more active role in the eve-of-match net session.

    “He felt his side a tiny bit after the last game and, with his previous history, the medical team were wrapping him in cotton wool,” he said. “We’ll make a final call tomorrow but it was more precautionary yesterday.

    “I don’t think it’s the same injury. It’s like always when you’ve got two games back to back, you’re a little bit careful with training. But unless he gets a reaction overnight I expect him to be in our side.”

    Should Moeen get the green light to play at the home of cricket England are almost certain to go in unchanged, with back-up spinner Adil Rashid and spare seamer Steven Finn again sitting out.

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    The side have created an undeniable sense of optimism following their 169-run victory in Wales, an impressive result in itself but even more striking for the confident, attacking manner with which it was achieved.

    Despite that, Cook is happy for Australia to retain the tag of favourites which came courtesy of a 5-0 whitewash Down Under in 2013/14.

    “It’s always nice to be underdogs isn’t it?” said Cook. “Australia are still probably favourites, they’ve only got to retain I suppose. But series are not played on paper or potential, it’s what people deliver out there.”

    Meanwhile, Cook said he does not expect Australia to be significantly weaker for giving wicket-keeper Peter Nevill a debut.

    Having been picked by a selection panel headed up by Australia wicket-keeping great Rodney Marsh, Nevill gets a chance to make an international debut at Lord’s – where back in 1972, with Marsh behind the stumps, Australia paceman Bob Massie took 16 wickets in a sensational maiden Test match.

    Cook said: “His first-class record is pretty decent, he’s averaging 45 and got a double-hundred. So we expect it to be no different in terms of the quality. He’s obviously been talked about as being his (Haddin’s) replacement for a couple of years,” added Cook.

    Cook added England would look to utilise the inside knowledge of new coach Trevor Bayliss, previously in charge of New South Wales.

    “We’re going to have to think a lit tle bit on our feet out there because no-one has seen a huge amount of him, but obviously Trevor might have a bit of information on him,” opening batsman Cook said.

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