Moeen Ali might bat predominantly in the lower middle for England in Test cricket – but only Jonny Bairstow has scored more first class runs of the players in action in the second match of the current series the West Indies in Antigua.
The Worcestershire all-rounder went past the 11,000 run mark in his distinguished first class career after top-scoring with 60 batting at number seven in England’s first innings total of 187.
It was the perfect response from Moeen after the first ‘pair’ of his Test career in Bridgetown last week.
The 31-year-old is second to Bairstow (11,336) and ahead of skipper Joe Root, Rory Burns, Joe Denly, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes of the top six.
Add in Moeen’s contribution with the ball – and to date he has 168 Test and 347 first class wickets – and it demonstrates his importance for club and country.
The first class run tally of England’s line-up after the first innings of the Second Test, in batting order, in the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium is:
Rory Burns – 7,846
Joe Denly 10,992
Jonny Bairstow 11,336
Joe Root 10,330
Jos Buttler 4,446
Ben Stokes 6,804
MOEEN ALI 11,046
Ben Foakes 4,871
Sam Curran 1,939
Stuart Broad 4,910
James Anderson 1,790