Released from England Test squad after not finding a place in the playing XI for the first Test match at Birmingham, Moeen Ali displayed a fine all-round performance turning up for Worcestershire in a Vitality Blast T20 match against Nottinghamshire.
Opening the batting, Ali smashed 65 off just 36 balls that included four sixes and five fours and when his time came with the ball, he picked up two crucial wickets to help his side register a massive win by 72 runs.
Ali stitched a 137-run opening stand off 74 balls with Australian middle-order batsman Calum Fergusson, who ended with a hundred against his name, to lead Worcestershire to 2016 for two, batting first.
In reply, Nottinghamshire were bowled out for 134 in 17.2 overs. With figures of 2 for 25 in his four overs, Ali emerged as one off the most impressive bowlers for Worcestershire.
Ali’s carefree performance, albeit in a T20 game, will put the pressure right back on the England team management, which went with Adil Rashid as the specialist spinner in the first Test match.
Rashid was used for only 12 overs in the Test match and was largely unimpressive with the bat.