Trevor Bayliss, the England coach, has already hinted that Lyth would not be opening against Pakistan and Moeen, who made his name as a top-order batsman with Worcestershire, is keen to fill the spot if a vacancy is created.
“I would love to be batting back up the order, because coming in at No. 8 it was already 80 for 6 or something like that,†Moeen wrote in his England and Wales Cricket Board blog published on Wednesday (August 26). “I certainly wouldn’t mind opening, in Tests as well as white-ball cricket – even though I’ve never done it in first-class cricket, I have in the second team as well as in one-day stuff with Worcestershire and England.â€
However, Moeen admitted frustration at speaking about Lyth’s role. “But I feel a bit bad talking about that because of Adam Lyth,†he said. “It’s probably the hardest job in cricket, opening the batting, especially in the Ashes, and he must be so frustrated because I always thought he looked all right against the new ball – he just couldn’t go past getting those starts.â€
“I would love to be batting back up the order, because coming in at No. 8 it was already 80 for 6 or something like that,†Moeen wrote in his England and Wales Cricket Board blog published on Wednesday (August 26). “I certainly wouldn’t mind opening, in Tests as well as white-ball cricket – even though I’ve never done it in first-class cricket, I have in the second team as well as in one-day stuff with Worcestershire and England.â€
However, Moeen admitted frustration at speaking about Lyth’s role. “But I feel a bit bad talking about that because of Adam Lyth,†he said. “It’s probably the hardest job in cricket, opening the batting, especially in the Ashes, and he must be so frustrated because I always thought he looked all right against the new ball – he just couldn’t go past getting those starts.â€