Monday, September 5th, 2016

County Wait To See If Moeen Available For Swansong Of Season

County Wait To See If Moeen Available For Swansong Of Season

Worcestershire will find out whether Moeen Ali is available for the finale of the season after England's NatWest T20I with Pakistan at Emirates Old Trafford on Wednesday.

The all-rounder, who was rested for yesterday's final ODI against the tourists in Cardiff, is waiting to see if he will be permitted to play in the final two Specsavers County Championship matches versus Sussex or Derbyshire or is rested ahead of a busy winter schedule.

England play two Tests in Bangladesh and five in India in additional to various ODIs and T20s.

Moeen has played three Championship matches this summer – at the start of the season and the 29-year-old averaged 91 with the bat.

His last appearance for the County was in the Royal London One-Day Cup quarter-final with Somerset at Taunton when he top-scored with 81.

England have confirmed the availability of several players for their counties for key end-of-season fixtures.

Jake Ball has rejoined Nottinghamshire for their last two matches in the County Championship, and in the first of them against the Division One leaders Middlesex starting at Trent Bridge he is set to face Steven Finn, who has recovered from the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the Royal London One-Day Series.

England had already confirmed that Finn would be available for Middlesex when fit, as they chase a first Championship title since 1993, with further fixtures against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford starting next Monday and Yorkshire at Lord’s in the last round of matches starting on Tuesday September 20.

Chris Woakes and Jason Roy have been confirmed as available for the final of the Royal London One-Day Cup between Warwickshire and Surrey at Lord’s on Saturday September 17.

But England have asked Warwickshire to rest Woakes from their last fixture of the season in the County Championship, against Lancashire at Edgbaston, after his busy international summer.

England have also advised Yorkshire that Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow should take a break after Wednesday’s IT20, meaning they will not be available for the Specsavers County Championship matches against Somerset and Middlesex.

A decision on the availability of David Willey, Adil Rashid and Liam Plunkett will be made after Wednesday’s last international of the summer – as with Ben Stokes and Mark Wood for Durham, Alex Hales for Nottinghamshire, Chris Jordan for Sussex, Jos Buttler for Lancashire, Moeen Ali, Sam Billings for Kent and Roy for Surrey’s last Championship game at Durham.

James Vince and Liam Dawson are both available to Hampshire for their last two Championship matches of the season, against Surrey this week and Durham in the last round of fixtures.