Moeen believes that England can exceed expectations by abandoning the traditional cautious mind-set and replacing it with a fearless approach. ‘I know a lot of people are writing us off but I feel we have a good chance because of the amount of one-day cricket we are now playing before then.
Moeen, 27, is a candidate to bat at three in Sri Lanka and the World Cup or fill an all-rounder's role at seven but what he would really like is to go in at the very top. ‘I'd love to open,' said Moeen, who could become an alternative to Alex Hales as Alastair Cook's partner if the big-hitting Notts man does not come off.
When Moeen burst on to the scene post England's Ashes disaster much was made of his ability as an off-spinner to bowl the doosra, the ball that goes away from the right-hander, but it was rarely seen while he was bamboozling India and now he has reluctantly put it back in his locker, probably for good.
