England have had some great all-rounders in their team who have given some great performances for their side. These players are responsible for making a big impact on the game as they cover all the bases of the game and make sure they are in the game. Though we have heard about the great performances of Ben Stokes and Andrew Flintoff in Test cricket, it is time to talk about one of the underrated performers.
The player we will be talking about is Moeen Ali who was not only a handy and stylish left-hander in the middle order, but a more than handy off-spinner as well. He has given some incredible performances in Test cricket where he has 68 Test matches where he has scored 3094 runs and taken 204 wickets. We could say that he has been one of the all-rounders for the Barmy Army in the red ball format.
So, here are the top 3 best performances in Test cricket by Moeen Ali:
3. 87 and 10/112 vs South Africa
This was one of the best all-round performances you will ever get from Moeen Ali in Test cricket. With England struggling at 190-5, it was up to Ali to support his skipper and get England to a big score in the 2nd innings. Ali ended with a score of 87 batting at number 7 and also came back with the ball with a great 4-wicket haul. Ali might have failed with the bat in the second innings, but he made up for that with a 6 wicket haul to make sure England won by a big margin and won another dominant Test match at Lords.
2. 146 vs India
It is always tough to perform against India in India even for the best of players. However, Moeen Ali made sure he gave a great fight. Ali was promoted up the order and went on to score a magnificent 146 from 262 deliveries that included 13 fours and a six. He also scored a decent 44 in the second innings as well. Even though this inning came in a losing cause, it was still a great performance from the all-rounder who was carrying the team through tough situations.
1. 155 vs Sri Lanka
This was the best performance from Moeen Ali in Test matches where he also achieved his highest score in Test cricket as well. Moeen Ali scored a brilliant 155 from 207 deliveries coming in at number 7. This century was enough to get England a 400+ target and put Sri Lanka under pressure. He might have not had much to do with the ball, but this was arguably a match-winning performance which put a spirited Sri Lankan team under the pump. This showed us a glimpse of Moeen Ali which we could never forget at all.