- ncident occurred when Moeen applied a “drying agent” to his bowling hand while fielding.
- Moeen admitted the offence and accepted the penalty from the match referee.
- Moeen’s conversation with Ben Stokes convinced him to come out of Test retirement for the Ashes.
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English cricketer Moeen Ali has been found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the ongoing first Test against Australia at Edgbaston. As a result, he will be fined 25 percent of his match fees. The breach occurred when Moeen was seen applying a “drying agent” to his bowling hand while fielding during Australia’s first innings.
Moeen, 36, admitted his offense and accepted the penalty imposed by Andy Pycroft of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees. This breach falls under Article 2.20 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to actions that go against the spirit of the game. Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 percent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.
In a press conference, Moeen revealed a conversation he had with English captain Ben Stokes, where Stokes asked him if he would consider playing in the Ashes. Moeen’s response, “LOL,” led to a discussion that convinced him to come out of Test retirement. Moeen expressed that only Stokes could have persuaded him to make this decision, initially thinking it was a joke.
Unaware of Jack Leach’s injury news, Moeen had a chat with Stokes, realizing the opportunity to be part of the Ashes series, which he found amazing. Currently playing in the first Ashes Test, Moeen contributed 18 runs and took crucial wickets of Travis Head and Cameron Green. His Test debut was in 2014, and his last Test appearance was against India at the Oval in September 2021.
Moeen has had a successful Test career, scoring 2,914 runs in 64 matches with an average of 28.29 and taking 195 wickets with his off-spin.
