England can win Ashes without all-rounder Ben Stokes, says Moeen Ali

[Abdullah719]

England can still win the Ashes even if all-rounder Ben Stokes does not go to Australia, says all-rounder Moeen Ali.

Stokes, 26, was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm and video footage emerged that allegedly showed him in a brawl on Monday.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said Stokes would not be considered for selection until further notice.

Asked if England can win without him, Moeen said: "Yes, otherwise I feel there's no point in going out there."

He added: "If he's not there, then we're going to have to play well without him [but] I definitely feel we can still win."

Test vice-captain Stokes has been released by police but remains under investigation after an incident near the Mbargo nightclub in Bristol at about 02:35 BST.

Despite his arrest, he was named on Wednesday in England's Ashes squad where the first Test starts in Brisbane on 23 November.

On Thursday, the ECB announced that Stokes and Alex Hales - who was with him when the incident happened - would not be considered for selection until further notice. Hales was not named in the Ashes squad.

This came after the governing body saw footage published by The Sun newspaper which allegedly shows Stokes throwing punches at two men.

Moeen, who was man of the series in England's 3-1 Test series victory over South Africa in the summer, added of Stokes: "I think we all know how good a cricketer he is, and what he can bring to the table.

"He's one of the main players we have, and it would be great to have him out there ... but we'll see what happens."

http://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/41455352

 

[Mueez]

Yeah they only need Moeen Ali to win it.
Ek Moeen Ali "zardari" sab phe bhari!!!!
Hahahahaha

 

[Bilal7]

Moeen Ali needs to have an iconic showing if England are to win. He's going to be crucial with bat and ball.

 

[MMHS]

England would do great to win one Test, with Ben Stokes.

We do lots of criticizm to our Asian selectors for Umar Akmals & Shan Masoods & Imrul Kayes & MSDs and .. but the team that Poms are sending - it'll take lots of good luck to get 10 wickets for them, let alone 20.

 

[Hasan123]

Lol with Stokes they would have lost so imagine there chances without him.

 

[kingusama92]

Obviously, he's going to say that.

BUT they're getting smoked in AUS without Stokes.

4-0 or 5-0.

 

[mak36]

England will lose, with or without Stokes.

 

[Convict]

Moeen Ali needs to have an iconic showing if England are to win. He's going to be crucial with bat and ball.

Off Spinner won't do anything in Aus.

 

[Suleiman]

Stokes would've been killer on the Aussie phattas, but I think England have enough batsmen to take advantage.

 

[Chrish]

Can't see Ali going below rr of 4. He would have to contribute lot with the bat.

 

[Chrish]

Stokes would've been killer on the Aussie phattas, but I think England have enough batsmen to take advantage.

England probably wouldn't win a game there; with or without Stokes

 

[Bubby]

With the bowling and batting lineup they have picked up, I doubt they can compete, their bowling attack has sameness written all over it, even batting looks surprisingly weak, with out stokes it will weaken further, on the other hand aussies look a better batting unit and their bowling looks excitingly good, Cummins, starc, Hazelwood, Pattinson all can run through England on their own, I predict 3-0 or above though England might sneak 1 even that looks tough.

 

[Bubby]

Moeen Ali needs to have an iconic showing if England are to win. He's going to be crucial with bat and ball.

With his susceptibility against short ball and the pace aussies have got, I doubt he would survive, especially with all aussie pacers are tall and bowl well over 145 clicks and baying for his blood.

 

[Bilal7]

With his susceptibility against short ball and the pace aussies have got, I doubt he would survive, especially with all aussie pacers are tall and bowl well over 145 clicks and baying for his blood.

He smacked them around in the last Ashes and he's become a better player since. Will be disappointed if he doesn't score at least four half-centuries.

Off Spinner won't do anything in Aus.

He'll have to, if England are to do well. Hold up an end, prey on Warner's weakness and get a five-for in Sydney/Melbourne.

 

[Ab Fan]

Stokes would have done really well as his game suits to Australian bouncy pitches both with bat and ball.

Two places I would love to take Stokes- Australia and South Africa.

Moen won't be suited in Australian pitches neither with bat or bowl. He has weaknesses against short ball. So he has to show great mental strength to really put up a big show in Ashes.

 

[JaDed]

With Stokes didn't think they would win,so lol,hoping Moen gets smashed,but everytime the opposite of what I hope happens with

 

[Ab Fan]

England probably wouldn't win a game there; with or without Stokes

If Root continues his struggle with conversion rate, then it would become even tougher for England to win there.

 

[Madplayer]

Off Spinner won't do anything in Aus.

Moeen ali doesnt need off 'spin' to get batsmen out. Ask the Indians

On a serious note, he needs to contribute with his bat against Aus. Expect him to be peppered with short balls.

 

[AlizeeFan]

Eng can try to save 2nd and 5th test at Adelaide and Sydney. Gabba test, Perth test and MCG. Perth. Aussies don' lose anything at Gabba. Visitors have been successful at Perth in recent time. England can play well and still lose series 2-1. It won't be bad result tbh.

 

[Bubby]

He smacked them around in the last Ashes and he's become a better player since. Will be disappointed if he doesn't score at least four half-centuries.

England is playing Australia in Australia not England and like it or not moin has issues with short stuff, I won't be surprised if he is peppered with loads of short stuff.

 

[Bubby]

Stokes would have done really well as his game suits to Australian bouncy pitches both with bat and ball.

Two places I would love to take Stokes- Australia and South Africa.

Moen won't be suited in Australian pitches neither with bat or bowl. He has weaknesses against short ball. So he has to show great mental strength to really put up a big show in Ashes.

Exactly, moin doesn't like it short and I see him struggling big time with the bat would be pleasantly surprised if he succeeds.

 

[Robert]

England would do great to win one Test, with Ben Stokes.

We do lots of criticizm to our Asian selectors for Umar Akmals & Shan Masoods & Imrul Kayes & MSDs and .. but the team that Poms are sending - it'll take lots of good luck to get 10 wickets for them, let alone 20.

I concur. Lacking Wood and probably Stokes to shake Australia up they should take Plunkett.

 

[90MPH]

No chance without Stokes.

They need him no doubt about it. It's not just his gameplay but his on field presence.

But he can only blame himself if he doesn't make it. Let England down badly.

 

[James]

I really liked a comment from Moeen after the recent ODI. He was asked about the upcoming Ashes tour and he said little more than he is really looking forward to it and he’s really excited. This is a guy with a great attitude and a lot of self-belief who truly enjoys his cricket. I think he might do well in Australia purely based on this mentality, aside from any supposed technical deficiencies and capability gaps. Paul Collingwood generally did a solid job for us in Australia as a batsman, bowler and fielder, and he was probably the least naturally talented bloke in the squad, but he was also one of the strongest mentally.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Of course they can win. And so can Afghanistan or Ireland!

But Aussies at home are a different team. They'll deliver a proper phainta to England this year.

Moeen Ali's bowling will be taken to cleaners. He might get a couple of attacking half centuries tho.

England's only hope is game winning performances from Jimmy/Broad pair.

 

[MMHS]

I concur. Lacking Wood and probably Stokes to shake Australia up they should take Plunkett.

I was expecting even Finn actually, though I am not sure how is he now. AT 28, must not have played his last Test by now. Just about a year ago, he was instrumental in winning the Birmingham Test.

Overton's figures are decent with ball, but I am not sure how much experience he has to start career in an Ashes Test down under. Also, he is listed as "medium-fast" - which tells me that ECB selectors were more impressed with his batting average of 23 than bowling average of 26 - that's a recipe of disaster in AUS.

Stoneman, Ballance, Vince, Malan .... I think, it's going to be tough for ENG in first 25 overs against Kookaburra. Only, encouraging selection is Foakes - guy averages good, had a great summer with bat & he is good with gloves. This call will allow Johnny to focus on batting at No. 4/5. Carne is a bold pick, but might back fire for the kid.

Overall, this is one of the weakest & most inexperienced ENG side to defend Ashes away - I see them struggling big time rather than fighting tough. What I feel is that unlike PCB, who started the series with this Lankan side at Abu Dhabi to hand over the initiative to a young side, Aussies will come really, really, really hard in 1st 2 Tests at Gabba & WACA on certain result wicket, to kill the spirit of this inexperienced side and if they can do that, I see 5-0 more than any other result.

 

[Professor]

With Stokes didn't think they would win,so lol,hoping Moen gets smashed,but everytime the opposite of what I hope happens with

Why do you hope that he gets smashed?

 

[backfootpunch]

Why do you hope that he gets smashed?

all Indians do - remember during the ODI series against India in England - they were calling him "pa**" with more words that I can't say on here.

 

[htariq25]

With Stokes didn't think they would win,so lol,hoping Moen gets smashed,but everytime the opposite of what I hope happens with

Keep crying over his success. The best of cricketers will always have the most haters.

 

[JaDed]

Why do you hope that he gets smashed?

Coz I wish that for entire English team most of the times..plus his fans are annoying.

 

[HateKiller]

Wake up Moeen. Time to hit the gym.

 

[JaDed]

Keep crying over his success. The best of cricketers will always have the most haters.

Unlike you I don't cry over sports mate,sorry to disappoint.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">"I would hope that Ben Stokes is watching, and I would hope that he's hurting more than the boys in the dressing room."<a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelVaughan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MichaelVaughan</a> telling it how it is &#55357;&#56883;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ItsTheAshes?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ItsTheAshes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashes?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashes</a> <a href="https://t.co/FUVIvyYDX2">pic.twitter.com/FUVIvyYDX2</a></p>— The Ashes on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/btsportcricket/status/942682928454053888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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