Moeen Ali came out of Test retirement to play red-ball cricket for England again as Jack Leach got injured before Ashes 2023. Ali conceded 147 runs from 33 overs in first innings but got two big wickets of Travis Head and Cameron Green. However, Ali made headlines for wrong reasons as he was fined 25 per cent of his match fees by the International Cricket Board (ICC) for applying a drying agent on his injured finger. Former cricketers have had divided opinions on the matter. India’s legendary off-spinner Harbhajan Singh feels that the chatter around Ali using spray is not understandable.
Harbhajan took to Twitter and wrote in support of Ali during Day 5 of Edgbaston Test, Birmingham: “Don’t understand so much chatter around Moen Ali using spray on spinning fingers to numb the pain. Only issue is he should have informed the umpires, but if batsman gets a blister under the gloves, and he gets a spray. Will anyone even notice. Same logic, think about it?”
The incident took place in the 89th over of Australia's first innings. Moeen was seen applying a drying agent on his bowling hand near the boundary line. As the all-rounder was found guilty of breaching Article 2.20 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, he received a demerit point.
Ex-Aussie bowler in support too
Earlier, former Australian chinaman bowler Brad Hogg had supported Ali as well. Hogg feels that Ali could have done it after going off the field but he chose to do it on the boundary.
"25% fine for this is a bit of 'overspin' on the issue when you know Moeen was not using it for any other purpose than to prevent his blister getting worse! He could have left the ground repeatedly disguising the spray but did it openly. Fair play given the finger," Hogg posted on Twitter.
Ali bowls through the pain
Ali bowled through the pain in the second innings as well. On Day 5, he also got the prized wicket of Travis Head who edged it to slip fielder Joe Root.
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