Jonny Bairstow defends teammate Moeen Ali’s England position after poor Ashes showing

Updated 31 December 2017
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Jonny Bairstow defends teammate Moeen Ali’s England position after poor Ashes showing

LONDON: Moeen Ali’s place in the England starting XI has been defended by his teammate Jonny Bairstow.

The 30-year-old off-spinner has come in for criticism during the ongoing Ashes series for poor performances with both bat and ball — he has taken just three wickets and averages 19 runs in four games.

But Bairstow says Ali is “absolutely” part of the England team.

“There are not many finger spinners that come to Australia and bowl sides out. It’s important that we get behind Missouri His talent and capability are not in question,” the wicket-keeper said.

In the fourth Test at the MCG, Ali bowled 25.2 wicketless overs and hit 20 from 14 balls.

Speaking to the BBC, his coach Trevor Bayliss also defended his player. “It was only two months ago that we were talking about him as one of the best all-rounders in the world. He’s just like any other player — sometimes you don’t take the wickets or score the runs that you would like. I’ve got full confidence in him going forward,” he said.

England play Australia in the fifth and final Ashes Test in Sydney on Thursday.


Dubai Basketball in good form ahead of Bayern Munich clash

Updated 4 sec ago
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Dubai Basketball in good form ahead of Bayern Munich clash

  • Dubai tackle German club on the back of wins in ABA League and tight EuroLeague clash

DUBAI: Dubai Basketball closed a demanding week on two fronts with a statement win in the ABA League and a narrow, hard-fought EuroLeague battle in Bologna, underscoring the team’s rising profile across Europe’s top competitions.

Last night, Dubai Basketball extended their flawless start to the ABA League Group A campaign, securing an 8-0 record with an impressive 74-88 road victory over Igokea in Laktasi.

The team controlled the game from the early stages to build a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter. From there, the visitors managed the contest with confidence and precision on both ends of the floor.

Mfiondu Kabengele delivered a standout performance, producing 20 points, 10 rebounds and a 29 valuation. McKinley Wright guided the offence masterfully, contributing 10 first-half points and shaping Dubai’s rhythm throughout the night.

The win preserved Dubai’s perfect ABA League record as they continue to set the pace in Group A.

Reflecting on the team’s performance, Dubai Basketball’s Head Coach Jurica Golemac said: “This was a very important victory for us after a tough loss three days ago. The team showed a professional approach from the start and controlled the game for 40 minutes.

“Twenty-seven assists tell the story; we played team basketball, shared the ball, stayed physical on defense and deserved the win. We take the positives and move forward.”

A dramatic EuroLeague Round 14 encounter against Virtus Bologna on Friday saw Dubai fall just short, 79-78, after a tense fourth-quarter finish.

Despite overturning a 13-point deficit to lead at half-time and winning the rebounding battle 39-30, a pair of late three-pointers from Virtus Bologna’s Luca Vildoza proved decisive.

With the club sitting at 6–8 in the EuroLeague and firmly in the hunt, all eyes now turn to the home game against Bayern Munich in Round 15 at Coca-Cola Arena on Dec. 12.