• Moeen ‘has probably got his nose in front’ in race to open batting
• England coach refuses to guarantee Jos Buttler’s plot in Test teamTrevor Bayliss has backed Moeen Ali as the answer to England’s opening conundrum but admitted Jos Buttler could be dropped for next weeks first Test against Pakistan. Moeen’s plot at the top of the order alongside Alastair Cook will be confirmed when Englands Australian coach sits down with his captain on Saturday to discuss team choice for the opening match of the series in Abu Dhabi.
The Worcestershire all-rounder will become Cook’s seventh opening partner since the retirement of Andrew Strauss three years ago despite failing twice with the bat in England’s final warm-up match against Pakistan A. Moeen made scores of seven and 13 on a day England’s innings ended on 198 for 11, the dynamic of these warm-up matches meaning batsmen were allowed multiple knocks in the same innings.
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Source: theguardian.com