Ali keen to follow India example

04 September 2014 03:31

England all-rounder Moeen Ali said watching India's Suresh Raina had encouraged him to maintain an attacking approach to batting in one-day internationals.

Ali's 67 -- his team's first fifty of the series -- was the lone highlight for England in their nine-wicket thrashing by world champions India in Birmingham on Tuesday.

That defeat saw England go down to a 3-0 one-day international series loss ahead of Friday's finale in Leeds.

The match marked Ali's series debut and his first ODI in England.

But in his role as a squad member he paid close attention to the way India batsman Raina made 100 in the tourists' 133-run win in the second ODI in Cardiff after the team had been struggling at 19 for two.

"Watching someone like Suresh Raina, they were in trouble and he came out and played the way he played," Ali told reporters at Headingley on Thursday.

"He took a few risks and they came off. He backed himself.

"I tried to copy it a little a bit," added Ali, who could well be promoted up the order from number seven on Friday.

"It's something I go back to a lot and probably should do all the time," the 27-year-old off-spinning all-rounder added.

"Take it to them, there is no point in being the same and getting out the same way all the time," he explained.

"I'd rather get caught on the boundary or stumped trying to do something then try and knock it around all the time."

- Ignore the boos -

Anyone at Edgbaston on Tuesday could have been forgiven for thinking India were the home side, such was the vocal support for the tourists from at least two-thirds of the crowd.

Ali, despite being Birmingham-born, even found himself being booed by some supporters.

"It doesn't really bother me. I just go out and block it out and try and play as best as I can," he said.

As for the jeers, Ali added: "It just goes straight over my head. I think it's maybe because my background is from Pakistan but it doesn't bother me."

Ali, a practising Muslim, reiterated his call for British-born Asians to support England, saying it was odd to hear Birmingham voices cheering on India.

"Definitely -- and they've got a Brummy (Birmingham) accent or whatever and some of the chants are English chants.

"But it's just the way it is, hopefully over time we can change.

"I spoke to a lot of people and there were a lot of Asians there who were supporting England as well.

"But, obviously, the majority were supporting India."

Meanwhile Ali insisted that whatever the outside pressures, the team were rock-solidly behind Alastair Cook in his role as England one-day captain.

Cook came through a tough examination of his leadership credentials during England's 3-1 Test series win at home to India.

But former England captain Michael Vaughan has insisted he should be sacked as one-day skipper if the team are to have any chance at a World Cup in Australia and New Zealand now just six months away.

However, Ali said: "He's got all our backing and, like any other game for England, we're trying to do our best."

It was at Headingley where Ali scored his first and so far only Test hundred, against Sri Lanka in June.

His unbeaten and painstaking 108 nearly secured a draw but England lost by 100 runs after last man James Anderson was dismissed off the penultimate ball of the match.

"It was disappointing that we lost but I did all right on the last day," said Ali.

"There's good memories as a batter but we lost the game so it doesn't really matter much."

Source: AFP