Moeen Ali likely to take the field in 2nd ODI against Ireland

English all-rounder Moeen Ali is all set to make a comeback to the playing eleven in the second ODI against Ireland. The match will be played on Sunday and it marks Ireland’s debut at the iconic venue of Lord’s. The English team convincingly beat the Irish side in the first ODI to take an unassailable 1-0 lead in the 2-match ODI series. The short series is expected to one of the preparatory grounds for England’s claim to ICC Champions Trophy 2017.

The English off-spinner, Moeen Ali, missed out on playing the first side as the team management opted to go in with only one specialist spinner in the lineup. It was Adil Rashid, the leg-spinner, who got his chance ahead of Ali in the match. Rashid made the most out of the opportunity that beckoned on the day. He returned with a five wicket haul that swept off the Irish side in the match.

Now, as per the reports in the dailymail.co.uk, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid are both expected to be the part of the starting eleven that takes on Ireland in the second and final ODI of the series. Despite the fact that the boundaries are shorter at one end of the venue, both spinners will get the chance to bowl in tandem. The last time the two bowlers bowled in tandem in an international fixture was during England’s tour to India.

Both Ali and Rashid had a tough time bowling in the Indian conditions in the 5-match Test series. Their lackluster show had resulted in seeing the English side succumb to a 0-4 defeat at the hands of the hosts in the Test series. Now, both players see themselves on a tricky ground.

If they fail to impress in the coming fixtures, they might well face stiff competition from upcoming spinners in the domestic circuit. One such name is the leggier from Hampshire, Mason Crane. Crane is already being tipped as the next big thing in English cricket and an Ashes prospect too.

Well, for now, Moeen Ali has his chance to prove his worth.