Australia spinner Nathan Lyon expressed sympathy for fellow spinner Moeen Ali, who faces bowling crucial spells on the final day of the first Ashes Test with a badly blistered finger, comparing the situation to “a singer losing his vocals.”
Moeen Ali, who has returned to the Test side after a two-year absence, suffered a wound on his right index finger on the second day at Edgbaston and has had to leave the sphere on several occasions since to seek treatment.
Despite his injury, Moeen managed to take the wickets of Cameron Green and Travis Head in the first innings, but his inability to get buy on the seam caused him to give up runs. The four overs he bowled on day three before leaving for treatment went for 26 runs, including two sixes from Pat Cummins in a single over.
He may have to play through the pain barrier as England seek the seven wickets required for victory on day 5, whereas Australia will hope to use his circumstances to their advantage as they attempt to score 174 more runs for victory. “It’s massive, to be honest with you, I actually sitting here have a lot of sympathy for Moeen. Not coming off any red-ball cricket for two years and thrown into bowling a lot of overs. The best way I can probably sum it up, and it will probably sound weird, is a singer losing their vocals but expecting to go out and put a concert on,” Lyon said in the post-match press conference.
