Boy wonder Rehan Ahmed has been called up by England for the second Ashes Test at Lord's next week because doubts linger about Moeen Ali's fitness.
Ahmed became England's youngest Test cricketer in history when he was handed his debut against Pakistan, aged 18 years and 126 days, last December.
The Leicestershire leg-spinner returned match figures of 7-137 in Karachi, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings, and he will link up with Ben Stokes' squad in London this weekend.
Moeen is suffering from a badly-blistered index finger, which ultimately forced him out of the attack and left Joe Root as England's only spin option when Australia chased down 281 to go 1-0 up at Edgbaston.
England's response has been typically bold, summoning Ahmed as cover despite a quiet start to the county season with his six wickets for Leicestershire costing 67.66 each and an economy rate of 4.01 runs per over.
Ben Stokes renews call for rule change after Australia vs South Africa drama
It was at Lord's that Ahmed's name first came to prominence at the age of just 11. Invited by the MCC's head of cricket Steve Kirby to bowl at England's Test team while still of primary school age, he dismissed the country's record run-scorer Sir Alastair Cook and his own future captain Stokes.
By 13, he had the chance to the show his skills in front of the greatest wrist-spinner the game has seen, leaving the late Shane Warne marvelling at him and promising to keep tabs on his progress.
Stokes is still hopeful Moeen will be passed fit at Lord's – but even if he is available, it is possible neither he nor Ahmed will make the starting XI.
The England think tank is considering an all-seam attack, with Mark Wood's 90mph express pace augmenting Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad and Ollie Robinson, none of whom troubled the speed gun in the agonising two-wicket defeat at Edgbaston.
Moeen, who is twice Ahmed's age at 36, struggled due to a burst blister on his right index figure as he sent down more overs in Australia's first innings than his entire Indian Premier League campaign with Chennai Super Kings.
Rehan Ahmed has been named in England's squad ahead of the second Test (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)Ahmed, who is a useful lower middle-order batsman, edged out Surrey's Will Jacks, who underlined his Bazball credentials with a thunderous 96 off 45 balls in Thursday's Vitality Blast clash against Middlesex – including five sixes in one over.
But his off-spin remains a work in progress, with just two first-class wickets this season.
Meanwhile, opening bowler Anderson – whose place at Lord's is at risk after an ineffective display in the first Test – branded the Edgbaston pitch “kryptonite” with nothing to offer him encouragement.
Writing in his newspaper column, Anderson said: “There was not much swing, no reverse swing, no seam movement, no bounce and no pace.
"I have tried over the years to hone my skills so I can bowl in any conditions but everything I tried made no difference. I felt like I was fighting an uphill battle.”
McCullum lifts lid on "simple" England philosophy and "absolute beauty" Stokes
Anderson's 117 Test wickets at Lord's – by far his most prolific hunting ground – is likely to earn him a reprieve.
England squad
Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
