India vs England | Moeen Ali hails Indian bowling attack's consistency on Day 1 in London

09/08/2018

Moeen Ali has praised the Indian bowlers for their consistency and discipline on the first day of the final Test at The Oval, terming the bowling attack as one of the best. The English all-rounder also stated that he was trying to take one ball at a time when he came out to bat at number three.

The Indian bowlers maintained a wonderful line and length against the English on the first day but they got success only in the final session where they scalped six wickets. Prior to that, Ali, along with Alastair Cook, showed his batting skills after being promoted to bat at number three. The duo added 73 runs for the second wicket before Cook was dismissed for 71. The all-rounder went on to score a half-century as well.

Speaking about the Indian bowlers during the post-match press conference, “They just kept coming, bowling same pace, same areas. It was one of the best bowling attacks I’ve faced.”

“I just tried to take it a ball at a time. I thought they bowled really well. The wicket was quite slow, but the ball was always doing something, so I just tried to stay as patient as I could. The Indian bowlers didn’t give me a lot to hit. So I just tried to bat. I don’t always play like that, but we were in a decent position. You’re always hoping to let them bowl and bowl. But they just kept coming, bowling same pace, same areas. It was one of the best bowling attacks I’ve faced. They were just always, consistently there,” said Ali, reported PTI.

Cook and Ali were involved in a good stand for the hosts and they lost wickets at regular intervals and finished the day with 198/7. The former England skipper is playing his last international game and scored a fifty in the first innings.

“When he got dropped, I just said it was meant to be for you. A player will come in to try and replace Cook, which will be very difficult. He was finding it difficult, probably not as easy as we thought it would be (on this wicket). There were some dents in the wicket,” Ali said.

“I prepared different this week than I would have done previously against a bit newer ball. It just gives you time to get your mind around batting at number three for England. I know I was dropped, I know I played and missed, but I just tried to bat. I’m always confident. There are always good players, maybe some you don’t know about at the moment. Obviously we don’t want these collapses at the time.”

India vs England | Moeen Ali hails Indian bowling attack's consistency on Day 1 in London

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