Moeen Ali: Century doesn’t mean much after a defeat

Moeen Ali walks up to James Anderson after the end of the match

27-year old England batsmen Moeen Ali scored his maiden Test match hundred in his second Test against Sri Lanka. However, a Shaminda Eranga bouncer shattered his side’s hopes of a draw inducing a mistimed block off James Anderson after the last pair batted for more than an hour. Ali was unbeaten on 108 when the Sri Lankan’s celebrated their first Test series win on the English soil after the penultimate ball of the match.

“I am gutted, the hundred doesn’t mean as much after the defeat,” Moeen admitted, talking to ecb.co.uk.

“I would have loved it if we had saved the game but it is one of those things, it was a good ball right at the end that Jimmy got so I am gutted at the minute. He played so well and then he gets a ball like that. For him to bat the way he did and battle, he played really well, I am gutted for him and gutted for the lads.

“He was playing so well, with 20 minutes to go I was really confident, but at nine down it just takes one good ball to take a wicket,” added Ali, who is of Pakistani origin and let Anderson face the last over.

The left-hander Ali who battled it out on the last day for 281 balls stretching over 385 minutes mentioned finishing the match was the priority.

“It was one ball at a time from ball one. I like to play like that. If I play straight and be disciplined, runs will come. I feel like I know my game. I was just one ball at a time, just staying in the moment is important. I just wanted to bat and finish it for the lads, that was more important than the hundred.

“It is a shame that we didn’t get through,” he said.