101 sports: England v Sri Lanka: Moeen Ali backs himself as Test spinner

Venue: Lord's

  Date: 12-16 June

  Start time: 11:00 BST

England v Sri Lanka: Moeen Ali backs himself as Check spinner

First Check: England v Sri Lanka

Worcestershire batsman Moeen Ali hopes to surprise people with the quality of his off-spin bowling in the coursework of his England Check debut against Sri Lanka this week.

Coverage: Ball-by-ball Check Match Special commentary on BBC Radio five live sports additional, BBC Radio four Long Wave and by BBC Sport web-site, BBC Sport app & BBC iPlayer Radio app; live text commentary on BBC Sport web-site & mobiles

Ex-England spin-bowling coach Mushtaq Ahmed does not think Moeen is prepared to become a frontline Check spinner.

But the Worcestershire batsman is feeling "confident" and may try to fool batsmen with a doosra they has developed.

Moeen, Middlesex batsman Sam Robson and Sussex quick bowler Chris Jordan are all expected to make their Check debuts in the first of matches against Sri Lanka, beginning at Lord's on Thursday.

"A lot of people haven't seen me bowl in the longer format so hopefully I can surprise a few people," they said.

Yorkshire paceman Liam Plunkett is also likely to play Check cricket for the first time in seven years in England's first five-day outing since the 5-0 Ashes whitewash by Australia down under.

Following the retirement of Graeme Swann, England have selected not to pick a frontline spinner, with Moeen expected to share slow-bowling duties with Joe Root, another specialist batsman and part-time off-spinner.

Moeen has a first-class bowling record of 139 wickets at an average of 40, but historically seasons with Worcestershire they has taken 61 wickets at 30.

"I'm pretty confident with my bowling," Moeen added. "I feel like I've been doing it at Worcester for the past two or three years,"
"I'll bowl as tight as I can and hopefully pick up a few wickets from there.
"I'm not looking to fill Swann's boots. He has been a fantastic bowler. I'm just looking to bowl how I bowl. If I try to be someone else I won't be as good."
Moeen has recently been working with Worcestershire's overseas player, Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal, to help develop a doosra.
Ajmal is a specialist in the delivery, that looks like an off-break but actually turns in the opposite direction.