With the brief heatwave in Britain seemingly over, Glamorgan’s head groundsman Keith Exton has confirmed that the pitch he is preparing for Wednesday’s first Ashes Test is “very unlikely” to take excessive turn. The current weather forecast suggest that conditions will remain overcast for the duration of the match, and thus it seems highly improbable that either England or Australia will play two spinners.
For Australia, this does not leave too much of a decision. Whilst there may be a dilemma as to whether Nathan Lyon should play alongside three seamers and an all-rounder or four specialist fast bowlers, it scarcely seems feasible that leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed will play.
However, England’s one spin-bowling all-rounder could easily be either one of Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid.
The current incumbent of the role, Moeen, has struggled since his return from an abdominal tear suffered in the World Cup, taking eleven wickets in four Tests at an average of 41.63. After being omitted from the ODI squad to play New Zealand in order to gain more bowling practice for Worcestershire, the 28-year-old has taken a combined 6/286 in all formats for his county, a meagre return given the circumstances.
Rashid, on the other hand, has gained a lot from being part of that ODI squad, picking up eight wickets across the five games, including 4/55 in the first ODI at Edgbaston. Having struggled in the nets in the Caribbean, which led to his omission for all three matches there despite a dearth of other option, the Bradford-born leg-spinner might have clawed his way back into the selectors’ thoughts thanks to that series, and his presence in the 13-man squad indicates he could well play some role in the series.
Ali undoubtedly holds the upper hand as the man in possession. There will be a temptation for the selectors to look at his eleven Test caps, which stack up very favourably compared to Rashid’s none, and when his 19 wickets against India last summer are thrown into the mix, he does look a good option.
Whilst both can hold a bat, neither is likely to hold the upper hand over the other on that account. Moeen is regarded as a slightly superior batsmen, but his first-class average of 38.07 is only marginally better than Rashid’s 35.68; both would fill the number eight position in the batting line-up, in all likelihood.
One final factor to throw into the equation is the difference in their bowling styles. Moeen, an off-spinner, whose variation lies in his flight and speed rather than direction, may be considered a more dependable option, as off-break bowlers are regarded as having more control in most circles. On the other hand, Rashid, who possesses a googly and a top-spinner as variation deliveries, is seen as a more risky selection, with England having always been sceptical of leg-spinners in the past.
Despite this differing reputation, the two again have very similar economy rates in first-class cricket. Moeen has conceded runs at 3.48 per over since his first-class debut in 2005, whereas Rashid has leaked 3.51 an over since his 2006 bow. However, the similarities probably point to one outcome, which is Moeen playing the first Test on Wednesday.
The worry for England will be if his first few overs are expensive. If he “does a Kerrigan”, and is targeted early on in his spell, Moeen will have to find a way to respond despite still being a developing bowler. A poor first spell of the series could be disastrous for either bowler due to their lack of Test experience, so it will be fascinating to see if Australia’s top or middle order target England’s spinner at Cardiff, regardless of whether that is Moeen or Rashid.
