Twitter Reactions

‘Tongue will bowl to Head’- Fans react as Josh Tongue replaces Moeen Ali for second Ashes 2023 Test at Lord’s

Australia beat England by 2 wickets at Edgbaston.

Jun 27, 2023 5:09 pm

Moeen Ali and Josh Tongue (Source: Twitter)

Moeen Ali and Josh Tongue (Source: Twitter)

England lost a nail-bitter at Edgbaston to Australia by two wickets. The fans got their money’s worth as the match went to the fifth day. Now as England and Australia will lock horns against each other at Lords on Wednesday, the Three Lions have made a big change to their lineup. Moeen Ali has been replaced by Josh Tongue, as confirmed by the Telegraph. Going by the change initiated by England, it might give people an idea of how the Lord’s pitch could behave.

Moeen made a comeback at Edgbaston in the first Test. Moeen replaced the injured Jack Leach in the Ashes series but struggled, bowling 33 overs in the first innings. The all-rounder gave away 147 runs and picked up two wickets. The 36-year-old had to deal with a burst blister on his finger because of bowling too many overs.

I was pretty disappointed with those two dismissals: Marnus Labuschangne

Moeen also had a hard time of the field as he was fined and also docked one demerit point as the camera’s caught him spraying drying agent on his hand. In the second innings at Edgbaston, Moeen bowled 14 overs and took 1-57. These figures showed that he hardly had any presence in the game. Talking about Tongue, he comes in with some good form by his side. The right-arm pacer picked up 5-66 in Ireland’s 10-wicket loss to England, which was a four-day Test match played at the Lords.

Meanwhile, Marnus Labuschagne talked about the win at Edgbaston and said that Australia did not even bring their B game to the party during the first Test. “I don’t think we played our B-game. I think there are a few guys that played exceptionally well, Usman (Khawaja) played really well, Nathan Lyon bowled exceptionally,” Labuschagne told SEN Cricket.

Labuschagne then talked about his personal form and said that he was disappointed with how he had fared in the first Test. The right-hander scored 0 in the first innings and 13 in the second innings.”I was pretty disappointed with those two dismissals, to be honest. I think they were pretty poor in the sense that I haven’t got out like that for a very long time, sort of playing two poor shots very early in my innings. he further stated.

Let us take a look at the reactions on Twitter:

So now we not playing a spinner because our keeper can not keep to one competently.

— Robert Scott (@robert41505) June 27, 2023

I think England had to prepare a green surface because they don't have any spinner in their country who is half as good as Jack Leach or even Moeen who came after Leach's injury but himself got injured. Leach has performed very well in last 2 years but still not respected enough

— Nishant Sharma (@Nishant8745547) June 27, 2023

No front line spinner means the conditions and surface which had fair amount of grass by the looks of it gonna support the seamers. England back to Plan A after preparing a good batting track at Edgbaston in the first Test!

— MA (@coverpoint_) June 27, 2023

https://twitter.com/Agastya_45/status/1673624857039482880?s=20