While Nathan Lyon prepares to play his 100th consecutive Test for Australia, England have opted to go to Lord’s without either of the two spinners grabbed in a hurried supermarket sweep after Jack Leach was ruled out of the series. Moeen Ali and Rehan Ahmed must watch from the sidelines when the second Ashes Test begins on Wednesday.
Magical as Moeen is, and exciting as Rehan will be, how did England get into a situation where Leach’s injury left them calling up a white-ball specialist without red-ball overs under his belt, who officially retired from Test cricket in 2021 and who had a sore spinning finger, and then, as cover for him, a young kid who has only played 10 Championship games? There should be a thick, nicely maturing layer of experienced county spinners, tap shoes laced in anticipation of the Ashes, waiting in line between Moeen, 36, and Ahmed, 18. Where have they gone?
