England had earlier been bowled out for 237, but not before captain Ben Stokes played another heroic innings, scoring 80 runs to rescue his team from a precarious 142-7.
Assessing the state of the match, Moeen expressed optimism about England’s chances. Speaking to Test Match Special, he said, “We have a good chance… It’s pleasing the day actually ended up quite nicely and we’re still in a winnable position.”
Australia currently holds a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Moeen, who came out of Test retirement to replace the injured Jack Leach for this series, highlighted the confidence instilled in the team by Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, who have shown the ability to chase down challenging totals in recent times.
Under Stokes and McCullum’s leadership, England has successfully chased targets of 378, 299, 296, and 277. Their remarkable victory against Australia at Headingley in 2019, when they successfully chased down 359, still resonates as one of the greatest comebacks in cricket history.
Regarding the upcoming target that Australia sets, Moeen stated, “Whatever they get, we are going to have to try and chase… It’s still a decent wicket.” He acknowledged the strength of England’s batting lineup, the pace of the outfield, and the need for a couple of batsmen to establish themselves. Moeen mentioned a desired target of 260 to chase from their current position.
Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook echoed Moeen’s sentiments, believing that England is capable of chasing a target of 270. Cook described the pitch as fair, looking flat for batting, but acknowledged the challenge that no batsman has found it easy apart from Mitchell Marsh.
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Australia captain Pat Cummins acknowledged the setup for a thrilling match, stating, “It’s all set up for another wonderful match.” When asked about a target to defend, he mentioned that anything around 300 would be good, expressing hope for the pitch to start spinning and for their bowling attack to make an impact.
With the game finely poised, fans can look forward to an intense battle between England and Australia as they fight for supremacy in this crucial Ashes encounter.