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- Oct 2, 2004
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"Asian cricketers do get judged quicker than others and people do write you off quicker" : Moeen Ali
Amid a backdrop of racism claims in the national game, the all-rounder tells Saj (for isport) what can be done so more minorities reach the top
Moeen Ali would be the first to admit that his recent form for *England has been below par, but the all-rounder has one particular memory to treasure from an unusual season.
Captaining England last month in the third T20 against Australia in Southampton was a career highlight – and one that Moeen hopes could inspire Asian cricketers in future.
“It was a strange summer with everything going on, and while it wasn’t a memorable period for me, I managed a couple of good performances here and there,” he tells i. “Captaining England was a very proud moment for me that I will never forget.
“It was a dream come true. I guess we will only realise in future just what an impact it will have had on young Asian cricketers. Considering my background and where I am from, I think it’s quite an achievement to have captained England. I don’t look at it from the point of view of me being the first Muslim to captain England, rather I take the view that it’s about who I represent and what I represent.”
Recent allegations about the plight of some Asian cricketers in the UK have highlighted the problems faced by minorities at the highest levels of the game. Moeen feels that players such as himself have a duty to act as role models.
“I think Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood and I have a responsibility to inspire and to open doors in people’s minds,” he says. “Young Asian cricketers can look at us and see that playing for England is not impossible, it’s a realistic prospect and that anything can be achieved if you really put your mind to it.”
Azeem Rafiq’s allegations of institutional racism at Yorkshire have raised some worrying issues and led the county to appoint a sub-committee to investigate the claims. Birmingham-born Moeen feels that the treatment of cricketers from ethnic minorities has improved, but Yorkshire will need to adequately investigate the issues raised and ensure that such matters are resolved.
“It seems that Azeem has been through a lot and if what he is saying is correct then something has to be done,” he says. “Azeem and the club need to be open about the situation, come together and try to break down those barriers that have possibly existed at the club.
“Things have changed now, not just in English cricket but around the world and in society as a whole, and nobody should have to accept such behaviour.
“If Azeem has suffered, then it’s a massive shame and something has to be done about it. I don’t see why Azeem and Yorkshire County Cricket Club cannot get together and work things out for future generations of Asian cricketers, so these types of accusations don’t rear their ugly head again.”
Moeen says racist abuse has been directed at him at some venues but he is confident that things have improved considerably in this regard around the world. “Over the years I have experienced racist abuse from sections of the crowd in some parts of England and also in Australia, particularly during the early stages of my career. It was definitely harder at some venues and I’d feel the hostility and abuse regularly at those grounds. But I believe that things have moved on in most parts of the world and this is something that has definitely changed for the better nowadays.”
Despite his optimism, the proportion of Asian players making it to county level and beyond is minimal. But Moeen says this is not entirely the fault of the system.
“The lack of Asian cricketers coming through the system and into cricket isn’t just the fault of the counties. I believe that part of the blame is the lack of understanding from Asian cricketers and their families of what is actually required to become a professional cricketer.
“It’s not just about batting and bowling, there’s more to playing cricket than just that. There is a whole attitude which goes towards playing cricket professionally.
“But having said that, Asian cricketers do get judged quicker than others and people do write you off quicker than everybody else.
“Both parties are guilty to an extent, but I do find it surprising that more Asian cricket talent is not coming through from places such as Bradford, Birmingham, London and Manchester.
“Sometimes the issue of culture comes into it and just because as a coach you have Asian cricketers who don’t relate to you, that should not mean you cannot handle them. You have to develop and learn about other people’s cultures and understand how people work, which I think some coaches fail to do.”
Recent pictures of a Muslim cricketer who represents Essex having alcohol poured over him at Lord’s have resulted in apologies from captain Tom Westley. For Moeen the issue confirms the need for improvement in the education of young cricketers.
“I don’t entirely blame the Essex cricketer who poured alcohol over his Muslim team-mate recently at Lord’s,” he says. “If you look at the example of Adil Rashid and I stepping aside at the World Cup celebrations, the awareness and education is out there.
“Many people will already know that as Muslims we don’t drink or associate with alcohol, but perhaps there is a need to increase the education within English cricket for younger players, as some will not know about the Muslim culture.
“It was probably an innocent mistake from a young man who will no doubt learn from the experience.”
The Indian Premier League has recently commenced in the UAE due to health concerns brought on by the presence of COVID-19 in India. Moeen is once again part of the star-studded Royal Challengers Bangalore squad and is hopeful that he can display his skills in a tournament that he feels is amazing.
“We’ve got a very good side at Royal Challengers Bangalore, including Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Aaron Finch. We’ve made a decent start but it’s unfortunate that I’ve not had a chance yet after doing so well last year for them. But when new coaches come in, they have new ideas and there have been changes within the squad too. In a long tournament like this you have to be patient and wait for your chance. I was in this position a couple of years ago and had to bide my time, be patient and keep knocking on the door. It’s an amazing tournament and there have already been some brilliant matches and incredible individual performances. It’s just great that people can watch such a high-quality tournament at such a difficult time for everyone.”
Moeen would be the first to admit that his recent form for England has been below-par, but the Worcestershire all-rounder is still hopeful of playing a role for his country in all three formats in future.
“I’m regularly in touch with Joe Root and the coaching staff. There is just so much uncertainty regarding future tours so it’s difficult to say what tours will take place and when. If the selectors want me, then of course I will play in whatever format they pick me for. I’m 33 now so I know that I’m no longer a young man. You have to be realistic as you never know when your last international game will be, so my philosophy is that I just want to play for England as much as I can in future in any format they want me to.”
https://inews.co.uk/sport/cricket/moeen-ali-interview-england-cricket-captain-worcestershire-676452
Amid a backdrop of racism claims in the national game, the all-rounder tells Saj (for isport) what can be done so more minorities reach the top
Moeen Ali would be the first to admit that his recent form for *England has been below par, but the all-rounder has one particular memory to treasure from an unusual season.
Captaining England last month in the third T20 against Australia in Southampton was a career highlight – and one that Moeen hopes could inspire Asian cricketers in future.
“It was a strange summer with everything going on, and while it wasn’t a memorable period for me, I managed a couple of good performances here and there,” he tells i. “Captaining England was a very proud moment for me that I will never forget.
“It was a dream come true. I guess we will only realise in future just what an impact it will have had on young Asian cricketers. Considering my background and where I am from, I think it’s quite an achievement to have captained England. I don’t look at it from the point of view of me being the first Muslim to captain England, rather I take the view that it’s about who I represent and what I represent.”
Recent allegations about the plight of some Asian cricketers in the UK have highlighted the problems faced by minorities at the highest levels of the game. Moeen feels that players such as himself have a duty to act as role models.
“I think Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood and I have a responsibility to inspire and to open doors in people’s minds,” he says. “Young Asian cricketers can look at us and see that playing for England is not impossible, it’s a realistic prospect and that anything can be achieved if you really put your mind to it.”
Azeem Rafiq’s allegations of institutional racism at Yorkshire have raised some worrying issues and led the county to appoint a sub-committee to investigate the claims. Birmingham-born Moeen feels that the treatment of cricketers from ethnic minorities has improved, but Yorkshire will need to adequately investigate the issues raised and ensure that such matters are resolved.
“It seems that Azeem has been through a lot and if what he is saying is correct then something has to be done,” he says. “Azeem and the club need to be open about the situation, come together and try to break down those barriers that have possibly existed at the club.
“Things have changed now, not just in English cricket but around the world and in society as a whole, and nobody should have to accept such behaviour.
“If Azeem has suffered, then it’s a massive shame and something has to be done about it. I don’t see why Azeem and Yorkshire County Cricket Club cannot get together and work things out for future generations of Asian cricketers, so these types of accusations don’t rear their ugly head again.”
Moeen says racist abuse has been directed at him at some venues but he is confident that things have improved considerably in this regard around the world. “Over the years I have experienced racist abuse from sections of the crowd in some parts of England and also in Australia, particularly during the early stages of my career. It was definitely harder at some venues and I’d feel the hostility and abuse regularly at those grounds. But I believe that things have moved on in most parts of the world and this is something that has definitely changed for the better nowadays.”
Despite his optimism, the proportion of Asian players making it to county level and beyond is minimal. But Moeen says this is not entirely the fault of the system.
“The lack of Asian cricketers coming through the system and into cricket isn’t just the fault of the counties. I believe that part of the blame is the lack of understanding from Asian cricketers and their families of what is actually required to become a professional cricketer.
“It’s not just about batting and bowling, there’s more to playing cricket than just that. There is a whole attitude which goes towards playing cricket professionally.
“But having said that, Asian cricketers do get judged quicker than others and people do write you off quicker than everybody else.
“Both parties are guilty to an extent, but I do find it surprising that more Asian cricket talent is not coming through from places such as Bradford, Birmingham, London and Manchester.
“Sometimes the issue of culture comes into it and just because as a coach you have Asian cricketers who don’t relate to you, that should not mean you cannot handle them. You have to develop and learn about other people’s cultures and understand how people work, which I think some coaches fail to do.”
Recent pictures of a Muslim cricketer who represents Essex having alcohol poured over him at Lord’s have resulted in apologies from captain Tom Westley. For Moeen the issue confirms the need for improvement in the education of young cricketers.
“I don’t entirely blame the Essex cricketer who poured alcohol over his Muslim team-mate recently at Lord’s,” he says. “If you look at the example of Adil Rashid and I stepping aside at the World Cup celebrations, the awareness and education is out there.
“Many people will already know that as Muslims we don’t drink or associate with alcohol, but perhaps there is a need to increase the education within English cricket for younger players, as some will not know about the Muslim culture.
“It was probably an innocent mistake from a young man who will no doubt learn from the experience.”
The Indian Premier League has recently commenced in the UAE due to health concerns brought on by the presence of COVID-19 in India. Moeen is once again part of the star-studded Royal Challengers Bangalore squad and is hopeful that he can display his skills in a tournament that he feels is amazing.
“We’ve got a very good side at Royal Challengers Bangalore, including Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Aaron Finch. We’ve made a decent start but it’s unfortunate that I’ve not had a chance yet after doing so well last year for them. But when new coaches come in, they have new ideas and there have been changes within the squad too. In a long tournament like this you have to be patient and wait for your chance. I was in this position a couple of years ago and had to bide my time, be patient and keep knocking on the door. It’s an amazing tournament and there have already been some brilliant matches and incredible individual performances. It’s just great that people can watch such a high-quality tournament at such a difficult time for everyone.”
Moeen would be the first to admit that his recent form for England has been below-par, but the Worcestershire all-rounder is still hopeful of playing a role for his country in all three formats in future.
“I’m regularly in touch with Joe Root and the coaching staff. There is just so much uncertainty regarding future tours so it’s difficult to say what tours will take place and when. If the selectors want me, then of course I will play in whatever format they pick me for. I’m 33 now so I know that I’m no longer a young man. You have to be realistic as you never know when your last international game will be, so my philosophy is that I just want to play for England as much as I can in future in any format they want me to.”
https://inews.co.uk/sport/cricket/moeen-ali-interview-england-cricket-captain-worcestershire-676452
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