England middle-order stalwarts Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali miss chance to find form ahead of Ashes

Jonny Bairstow, one of the heroes of England's World Cup campaign, recorded a pair in the Test against Ireland
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Will Macpherson26 July 2019

One of the strengths of England's attractive, inconsistent Test side in recent times has been an array of all-rounders and the ability to bat deep.

But that will be tested in the Ashes next week unless Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali improve their batting form. They contributed nine runs against Ireland, a match for which Bairstow, in particular, must wish he had been rested, like Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, following such an exacting World Cup, rather than recording a pair. The Yorkshireman is a workaholic and loves keeping wicket, but should have been given a break.

Both were out for nought in the first innings against Ireland, just as they were in the 58 all out in Auckland last March, and Moeen was in the 77 all out in Barbados this year. Both have nasty habits of recording ducks. Moeen has six since September 2017, Bairstow seven since Auckland — and he was bowled in four of them.

As Bairstow has developed into one of the greatest one-day international openers of all time, his Test batting has suffered. He averages 29.6 in Tests since moving to open in ODIs, perhaps a product of staying legside of the ball and trying to strike his way out of trouble. This is wonderful when it works, but it simply cannot work every time.

Ashes 2019: England's squad for the third Test

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With Bairstow, England will hope they are finally about to get the balance right. There is great conjecture about exactly what he should be. He has been all over the shop: Nos 3, 4 and 5 as a specialist bat; Nos 5, 6 and 7 as wicketkeeper.

Next week, with Stokes and Buttler back, he will be keeper-bat at No7, where he is happiest and has half of his six Test centuries. At No5 and keeping, so soon after the World Cup, too much was asked of him in this match.

This will be Moeen's third Ashes, but he has already seen it all. In 2015, he made decisive contributions from No8 and picked up handy wickets.

In his autobiography, he alleged an Australian opponent racially abused him on his Ashes debut in Cardiff. Two years on, Down Under, his form deserted him at the wrong time. He was worked over by Nathan Lyon, averaging less than 20 with the bat, and hit out the attack, taking five wickets at 115.

As the Aussie PR machine warmed up yesterday, Ricky Ponting, assistant coach during the World Cup, explained in a soft-focus video for cricket.com.au that Australia would be targeting Moeen with bat and ball.

Ali has been woefully out of form with the bat all summer
AFP/Getty Images

"He knows that Gaz [Lyon's nickname] will be bowling when he comes out," said Ponting. "It will probably be a spinner at one end and our fastest bowler at the other. So life is not going to get much easier for Moeen as a batsman. There's a mental hurdle there for Moeen. Gaz knows that he has got him, and will keep going after him.

"I think they will try to target him [when he bowls], but the challenge is the number of left-handed batsmen they have. He bowls very well to left-handers, as most off-spinners do. Nathan Lyon doesn't mind bowling to Moeen Ali either! If we stacked our middle order full of right-handed batsmen I think he will be a lot less effective than if we are chock-a-block full of left-handers."

While Jack Leach showed up all of England's batsmen, the comparison with Moeen was particularly unfavourable. The nightwatchman dug in, no matter who was bowling, while Moeen — with the opportunity to play an innings of substance with the game still in the balance, had the tamest of wafts at Boyd Rankin, who had already been causing him trouble. Rankin is awkward, but nowhere near as awkward as what awaits on Thursday.

It was the innings of a man with an average of 17 since September 2017. As Ponting points out, Moeen enters the series a target for spin and pace. One of England's errors in this match was listing fresh, spunky Sam Curran two spots below Moeen, who looks lost at the crease.

As Moeen's batting has regressed, his bowling has bounded forward, and he is a fine spinner in England. Since the start of the 2017 summer (so including that horror tour of Australia), he averages under 29 with the ball, and less than 22 at home, with three five-wicket hauls. Leach, who felt he had done himself no favours with the ball, when he was gripped by nerves, is in no doubt that Moeen is the premier spinner. "He has bowled really well for England for a long time now," Leach said, knowing he is likely to make way.

Bairstow and Moeen both have more than one string to their bow and are important members of the side. But both have so much more to offer with the bat.

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