The bearded assassin: Moeen Ali

WG Grace is someone who is remembered for his contribution to cricket. Better yet, he is considered by some as the father of cricket. However, the present generation of cricket fans does not know him. When they do, only two things are remembered. A stiflingly massive belly, for a cricketer at least, and a beard that almost reaches his chest, something you wouldn’t associate with those clad in the trademark tie of the MCC members. Some have called him ‘Cricket’s greatest bastard’, but I don’t want to judge him just yet.

Ironically, on the way to Piccadilly Circus, there is a minuscule yet significant bar and a restaurant. The folks from that part of London will certainly know what I am talking about. A sinister restaurant called ‘Grace Bar and Restaurant’. It’s not your regular nightclub or party scene. However, the liquor is enough to keep you there for at least a couple of hours.  The breakfast is something non-exist as they open at 12:30pm. Now, I really don’t know if the founder/owner knew WG Grace at all, but there are visible similarities between the ambiance of the pub and the personality of Grace himself.

It was late in the day when Moeen Ali made his way out to bat. Donning a sweater and an orthodox arm-guard, Ali strolled towards the wicket with the three Lions evident on his chest. In his earlier days, he was an opening batsman. He was someone who exuded the brightness and uprightness that one required to open the innings. Moreover, he was elegant. Elegance is yet another aspect that is generally not associated with all openers. Sanath Jayasuriya, Virender Sehwag, and perhaps even David Warner do not pride themselves with elegant batting.

However, Moeen Ali was a different breed of openers. He could give the ball a proper whack. Yet, he was also someone who could play the long innings as well. He used his wrists to great effect, something not many English players do. Although he was a batsman by trade and someone who rocked the batting yards of Birmingham from a young age was in the England squad because he could turn the ball. It wasn’t the regular off-break, yet, he picked up wickets for his skipper. In a nutshell, he was special. Special in the way he batted and special in the way he read the game.

Stat: Moeen Ali became the 30th bowler in Test match history to take a wicket in his only over of a Test and the first ever to do it against Sri Lanka.

With barely four overs left to play, Moeen Ali brushed the sleeve of the departing Jonny Bairstow as he went in to bat. He hadn’t done anything special in the first Test at Headingley. Neither was he expecting to make an impact this time around. Day one, therefore, came to a close with Moeen Ali unbeaten on 28.

The next morning was simply surreal. Ali took strike with his partner Chris Woakes a hop away from the umpire. He was greeted by some inexperienced Sri Lankan pacers and let off the hook by some pedestrian fielding on a few occasions. Did he make them pay? Of course, he did.

He lost Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad at the other end. It didn’t matter. He had made up his mind to go after the Lankan bowling. Steven Finn was perhaps the best batting foil for his bearded partner at the other end. In reality, it was Moeen Ali who was protecting the lanky Finn from the tearaway pace of Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal, and Shaminda Eranga.

After the Lunch interval, it was clear that Angelo Mathews was stumped. He couldn’t get Moeen Ali out before lunch, and now, it seemed as though there was nothing that would, in fact, breach his impregnable defenses. An elegant tuck to mid-wicket, two runs and the 28-year olds’ helmet and bat were in the air. His beard caressed with the breeze as his eyes winced in satisfaction. It was only his second ton in Test cricket. For such a batsman, it was inevitable that he would nail at least 10 centuries in his career. However, the fulfillment was there for all to see.

Steven Finn fell a few short minutes later. The fall of the wicket became worse for the Lankans. At one point, Angelo Mathews constantly peeked towards the haven of the English dressing room. He was awaiting the declaration from Alastair Cook. The Lankans couldn’t take it anymore. Moeen and Finn had frustrated them enough.

Their spirits were fortified when the southpaw began to up the ante. Although he was hitting it straight to the fielders in the deep and not putting Anderson in the line of fire, the shots he played were full of intent. He brought up his 150 with a six over mid-wicket. Milinda Siriwardana, who had dropped a dolly from Ali earlier watched it sail over his head in anguish.

Stat: Moeen Ali became only the 5th player in cricket history to score 150 runs batting at no.5 for England. The others include Jonny Bairstow and Derek Randall.

Finally, after much delay, Cook made the classic wave, signaling the decoration of the innings. Dimuth Karunaratne looked like he needed the massage. But he wasn’t going to get one as he would make his way out to face the music of James Anderson.

For many like myself, watching Test cricket is a gateway drug that has endured a lifelong affair with the sport we love so dearly. Romantics of Test cricket never look at Stats. If you look at the stats and judge a player, you’ve missed the point. As George Dobell puts it: “If you judged a player by stats you missed the point; you judged him more by the purrs of pleasure he generated. Was he great or very good? Who cares: he was beautiful.”

And on the day, Moeen Ali, whether he was a batsman or a bowler, he was an absolute pleasure to watch. He was the bearded assassin. Should he be batting a bit up the order? Hell! I think he should go back to opening the batting. But, that like most others isn’t really my call.