Moeen Ali should think of the possibilities his elevation up England’s batting order presents rather than the pressure that comes with the upgrade, according to five-time Ashes winner Ian Bell.
A shoulder injury to Ollie Pope initially led to Harry Brook batting at three in the third Ashes Test, but Moeen volunteered to assume the mantle in England’s successful chase of 251 at Headingley.
His contribution was just five off 15 balls, but it allowed Brook to settle back into his normal role in the middle order, where he underpinned England’s three-wicket victory with an assertive innings of 75.
The hosts have announced they will continue with Moeen at first drop, a scenario Bell is familiar with given he was catapulted from five to three in the middle of England’s triumphant 2015 Ashes series.
Bell suggested a freewheeling Moeen – who is just 23 away from 3,000 Test runs to go with 200 wickets, a twin landmark only 15 men have reached in Tests – should focus on the positives of his promotion.
The former England batter told the PA news agency: “I wouldn’t say it’s the perfect solution, but we’ve got selfless cricketers who are trying to do the best for the team.
“The temptation is to think of the pressure and that’s normal, but you look at it as an opportunity. It probably is a free hit. We know if Moeen gets in, he’s going to score at a rate.
“It will be a challenge, but it’s something that we know ability-wise Moeen has. It allows (Joe) Root to stay at four, Brook looks better at five and then (Ben) Stokes at six – those match-winners are still in those positions that can cause the most damage to Australia.”
Similarly to Moeen, Bell was up and down England’s order during a distinguished 118-Test career, although nine of his 22 centuries came at number five, a position which Brook now occupies.
Brook averaged an astonishing 81.8 coming into this summer and, even if that has since dipped, his knock last time out under pressure went a long way to cutting Australia’s lead to 2-1 with two to play.
The Yorkshireman is only 24 and less than a year into his international career, while Bell was only 23 and just a few months on from his England bow before being thrust into the cauldron of the 2005 Ashes.
Bell, who coached Brook when the pair were at Hobart Hurricanes in Australia’s Big Bash League 18 months ago, said: “You can’t teach that knowledge. You can get advice from people who have done it in the past, but until you’re out there and feel that for yourself, it’s very hard.
“Harry will be such a better cricketer and more understanding of Test cricket after this series. He’ll understand his game more than he ever has done at the end of an Ashes series and what he needs to do to be the best version of himself going forward.
“He’s an immense talent, but he does have a defence to go with the attacking options as well. At times, he should trust his defence as well because he’s technically very, very good. He’s a naturally attacking player and he’s going to be a fine, fine player for England.”
With England needing to win at Emirates Old Trafford and the Kia Oval to regain the urn, Bell, speaking in his role as a Betfair Ambassador, also backed Jonny Bairstow following a difficult series so far.
The Yorkshireman has struggled since retaining the gloves on his return from a badly-broken leg, missing a host of chances, with a lack of confidence behind the stumps seemingly seeping into his batting.
But Bell pointed to Bairstow’s track record of excelling when he feels under pressure, adding: “Jonny is someone when, if the game’s on the line or if there is a chase, we could see the best of him.
“We do need to see that and, if there’s two games to win which we have to be perfect to win this series, Jonny’s going to have to have a big hand in hopefully getting us to an Ashes victory.”
:: For more from Betfair Ambassador Ian Bell head to https://betting.betfair.com/cricket/
Andre Russell ventures into Bollywood music scene with SRK's support
West Indies and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell is set to make waves in Bollywood, following in the footsteps of Trinidadian cricketer Dwayne Bravo, who achieved success with his hit song 'Champion' in India.
Known for adding energy and entertainment to the dressing room, West Indian cricketers have a history of making their mark beyond the cricket field, with stars like Chris Gayle, DJ Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and Darren Sammy shining in the IPL. The latest to join this list is Andre Russell, the dynamic KKR sensation.
Russell is stepping into the music world by lending his vocals to a song composed by Palaash Muchhal. He will also be featured alongside actress Avika Gor in the accompanying music video.
What makes Russell's foray into music even more exciting is the backing of Bollywood titan Shahrukh Khan, the owner of Kolkata Knight Riders. Known for his larger-than-life persona, SRK is not just a team owner but also a key figure in the entertainment industry. Russell and SRK share a strong camaraderie, often seen enjoying each other's company and having fun moments together.
Recently, a video of Russell singing SRK's iconic song "Lut Put Gaya" from the movie 'Dunki' went viral, showcasing his passion for music. With SRK's support and Russell's infectious energy, fans can anticipate an exciting collaboration between the cricket star and the Bollywood icon.
Andre Russell's venture into Bollywood music adds a new dimension to his versatile talents and promises to be a delightful treat for his fans in India and across the globe.
IPL: Kumar the hero as Sunrisers stun Royals for final-ball win
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the hero as Sunrisers Hyderabad came back from the brink to secure a final-ball win over Indian Premier League leaders Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.
Kumar left the Royals reeling at 1-2 as they chased 202 for victory, dismissing both Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson for first-over ducks, flattening middle wicket to send the latter walking five balls in.
A 127-run partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag then seemed to have the Royals closing in on a fifth straight win, only for their chase to unravel in spectacular fashion.
Two wickets apiece from Thangarasu Natarajan and Pat Cummins left the Royals needing 20 runs off 11 balls, and Rovman Powell came up with a thrilling cameo, the highlight being an unbelievable dive to avoid being run out on the penultimate delivery, which took Rajasthan within two runs of victory and one of a super over.
However, there was one more twist to come as Powell swung at Kumar's full toss, which clipped his back leg and was confirmed as out following a review, sealing a memorable win for Sunrisers.
The Sunrisers had also found themselves in a hole in their own innings, only for Nitish Kumar Reddy (76) and Heinrich Klaasen (42) to finish unbeaten and bring up a total they were just about able to defend.
Data Debrief: Kumar bookends back-and-forth innings
For much of the Rajasthan innings, it looked like Kumar's early dismissals of Buttler and Samson would count for nought, with some expensive overs from Cummins and Marco Jansen leaving the Royals on the brink.
However, Kumar stepped up when it was all on the line on the final delivery, leaving Powell in a tangle to end Hyderabad's two-match losing streak and lift them into the top four.
Pakistan bowlers shine to hand West Indies first loss of tour in fourth T20I
West Indies Women suffered their first loss on their tour of Pakistan as the hosts secured an eight-wicket win in the fourth T20 International at the Karachi National Stadium on Thursday.
Excellent Pakistan bowling meant the tourists were restricted to just 84-9 off their 20 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Shemaine Campbelle (26), Zaida James (19) and Jannilea Glasgow (10) were the only West Indian batters to get double-figures as Sadia Iqbal and Nida Dar dominated with 3-18 from four overs and 3-19 from four overs, respectively.
Pakistan then needed only 16.3 overs to reach 87-2 and secure their first win of the series. Ayesha Zafar led the way with 42* off 48 balls while Gull Feroza finished 21* off 24 balls.
Afy Fletcher and Shamilia Connell took a wicket, each, for the Windies.
Full Scores: West Indies Women 84-9 (Shemaine Campbelle 26, Sadia Iqbal 3-18, Nida Dar 3-19)
Pakistan Women 87-2 (Ayesha Zafar 42*, Gull Feroza 21*, Afy Fletcher 1-6, Shamilia Connell 1-8)
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