Sunday 29 May 2016 13:45, UK
Moeen Ali admitted he "owed the team some runs" after his superb unbeaten 155 put England in total control of the second Test with Sri Lanka on day two in Durham.
Ali repaid the faith shown in him by captain Alastair Cook and the selectors, who promoted the stylish left-hander to No 7 at the Emirates Riverside after all-rounder Ben Stokes was ruled out of the three-Test series with a knee injury.
The Worcestershire batsman scored his second Test century - his first also came against Sri Lanka at Headingley two years ago - and his maiden score of 150 to help England declare on 498-9, before the tourists were reduced to 91-8 at the close.
However, Ali - whose 207-ball innings contained 17 fours and two sixes - said he felt he was due a score after struggling for runs while batting down at No 8 during the winter tours of the UAE and South Africa.
"It is about time really and I feel like I owed the team some runs and to do it today was a great feeling," he told Sky Sports.
"I struggled a bit this morning for the first half an hour, but once I got in… I have actually been feeling alright, but I just had not really spent the time in the middle.
"I think batting at No 8 you do not really get your batting head on and that is quite difficult sometimes.
"When I spoke to 'Chef' [Alastair Cook] the evening before the game, he told me I was going to bat at No 7 and to just play my natural game and how I normally play at Worcester.
"I actually enjoy batting No 6, but it has not really fazed me too much when they have asked me to bat at No 8, I am pretty happy. And when they told me I am batting at No 7, I was obviously very happy as well.
I have been pretty average with the bat to be honest with you
"I am going to have to get some scores if I want to go up the order. I have been pretty average with the bat to be honest with you, but hopefully I can keep batting well."
Ali was quick to pay tribute to the tail, though, and in particular Steven Finn, who batted for 37 deliveries for just 10 runs to help the 28-year-old reach his hundred after lunch at the Riverside.
"If it was not for the way the guys batted, I would not have got the runs and Finny has been playing quite well," he said.
"I was not sure before lunch how I was going to bat with the tail and then I spoke to 'Rooty' [Joe Root] and a few of the guys and I had a bit more of an idea."
The tourists did drop Ali before and after lunch, but the England batsman says he is going to continue playing on "instinct".
"Most of the time, when I have batted a bit of time, I am quite loose and I enjoy batting that way" he said. "I like playing with a bit of freedom and if I see it, I just go for it and it is something I have tried to tighten up a bit and I have done over the years.
"But I just accept it, carry on and forget about it pretty quickly.
"I have been getting out caught at cover in the one-dayers and I feel it is a strength and a weakness. But I am just going to carry on playing and enjoy seeing the ball and hitting it and back my instinct a bit."
As for the state of the match, the all-rounder believes Cook will look to enforce the follow-on for the second Test in a row if, as is expected, Sri Lanka's last two wickets fail to make another 209 runs.
"It was perfect, especially the way we bowled towards the end there and to have them eight down has been a brilliant evening, but it has been a brilliant day," Ali said.
"Going by the way we have been bowling, I think we would try and bowl them out tomorrow and then make them follow on again. It will be really tough as it is a slowish pitch, but the guys have bowled brilliantly."
The off-spinner could even get an extended bowl on day three after sending down only four overs - all maidens - on Saturday, with Ali predicting more assistance for the slow bowlers as the game wears on.
"We felt yesterday that it was going to spin a little bit because of the tackiness, but hopefully as the games goes on, there will be a little bit more spin and hopefully I can get some wickets as well," he said.
