Moeen Ali reaps rewards after returning to more 'attacking mindset' at Lord's
Friday 7 July 2017 20:33, UK
Moeen Ali credited a return to a more "attacking mindset" for his two wickets on day two of the first Test at Lord's.
The England all-rounder enjoyed a day to cherish as he dismissed Dean Elgar to claim his 100th Test wicket having reached 2,000 runs in Test cricket earlier in the day.
Ali's knock of 87 helped England to 458 in their first innings before they restricted South Africa to 214-5 at the close, the off-spinner taking the key wicket of Hashim Amla as well as that of Elgar.
"If somebody had told me when I started out that I'd end up with these stats then I'd have bitten their hand off so it's a great feeling to do it on the same day at Lord's," Ali told Sky Sports.
"There have been loads of ups and downs and with the ball, I feel like it has almost been learning on the job a bit as well. I'm going to have bad days, I know that, I am still inconsistent but today I was really happy with the way I bowled."
Having played more of a holding role with the ball in recent times, Ali revealed that he spoke to new captain Joe Root about reverting to a more offensive approach.
"I was trying to give it really good revs and look to take wickets, something that I used to do when I first started," he added.
"I have tried to bowl a little bit safe in the last year or so but today was the first day where I had that attacking mindset.
"It's nice that Lord's is spinning like this and with Daws (Liam Dawson) as well, we're in the game and we've got a lot of bowling to do, I think."
In terms of his batting, Ali has always played with freedom and after another enterprising innings, he seems unlikely to change any time soon.
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"I just go out and play my natural game and I don't think about the scoreboard too much, I just react to the ball," Ali said.
"I prep hard and I don't really think about it too much. I was a little bit disappointed [with my dismissal] but I would have taken 87 at the start."
Watch day three of the first Test between England and South Africa from 10am on Saturday, Sky Sports 2 HD.
