Tuesday 6 August 2019 09:04, UK
Nasser Hussain says England have a big decision to make on Moeen Ali ahead of the Lord's Test but argues that there should be no complaints over the side that was picked at Edgbaston…
I think England expected the ball to move around for the seamers in Birmingham and it just hasn't. Jofra Archer was still struggling a little bit with his side, so they didn't want to risk him and James Anderson.
I don't see how anyone can complain about the selection, the backroom staff couldn't really win with Anderson, they played him and he broke down so everyone has a go but can you imagine if they hadn't played him when he was saying he was fit and had no injury and this sort of thing happened with Australia scoring 480-odd? Everyone would be saying, 'where's Jimmy?'
These things happen in professional sport, people get injured. It's not an exact science. England have just got to make sure they bounce back from it with their bowling attack.
Obviously for England, what they will like is the fact that Archer will come in for the next game and he will provide them with extra pace so they're not a one-dimensional attack.
But I've got to say Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes really kept going fantastically well in both innings, one bowler down to put in the efforts they have has been brilliant.
The thing they've got to decide on is Moeen. He's been a fabulous bowler for England over the last two or three years if you look at his stats and how he's done. They just have to decide where he is confidence-wise; is he shot mentally?
Is the lack of runs with Lyon being all over him, as he was in Australia, affecting his bowling? Is it slight technical things that he is working on with Saqlain Mushtaq (England's spin bowling coach)? Where is he mentally? Because this game is played in the mind.
Also there are the stats showing Smith is slightly worse against left-arm spin, they might want to try a bit of that and Jack Leach is waiting.
It is a decision they are going to have to make, not on whether Moeen Ali is a good cricketer, make no mistake, in England he is a fabulous cricketer - his record speaks for itself.
Look at Rory Burns, at the end of the Ireland game, everyone said he was a worry but they gave him that one game too many that they always give and he got a score and showed that mentally he was still there. They've got to make exactly the same decision on Moeen Ali.
Watch the second Ashes Test at Lord's from 10am on Wednesday, August 14 on Sky Sports The Ashes and Main Event.
