Moeen Ali never did fulfil his rich promise during his brief career with Warwickshire but his patient 92 increased the prospect of his former county’s first defeat by their Midlands neighbours in 11 years on an attritional day at New Road.
Warwickshire signed Moeen as 15 year-old but he played only seven first-class matches in four seasons with them before he grew disenchanted with life under former coach Mark Greatbatch.
Moeen, who this week signed a two-year contract extension, is happier at Worcester but, at 23, he needs to ally application and consistency to his undoubted talent if he is to improve on the England Lions honours he won last season.
This innings was a useful starting point, proving that there is more to Moeen’s game than flashy strokeplay. He faced 162 balls but scored off only 41 of them and demonstrated mature judgment in which deliveries to leave.
A decent arm ball from Ant Botha denied Moeen his sixth first-class century. Warwickshire were further frustrated by Matt Pardoe, another left-hander, who compiled a patient maiden fifty in only his second senior appearance.
Boyd Rankin’s persistence was rewarded with the fourth five-wicket haul of his career but Warwickshire failed to capitalise on a pitch that was grassy and cracked.
Varun Chopra, fresh from a maiden double-century against Somerset, led Warwickshire’s fightback with a fluent half-century.
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