If Moeen Ali takes up England’s Ashes SOS, his Warwickshire comeback will have been brief. Still, Moeen is officially back at his hometown club after a 16-year absence and for a city that doesn’t make a fuss like Birmingham, it feels a pretty big deal.
The England all-rounder has already captained Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred, but with a three-year deal to lead Birmingham Bears in the T20 Blast – starting last Friday – a local hero has rejoined the club that sit atop the cricket pyramid in these parts, not just the four-week pop-up franchise.