Nathan Lyon likens Moeen Ali bowling with blistered finger to 'singer losing vocals

Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has sympathized with England counterpart Moeen Ali who has been bowling with a blistered finger during the first Ashes Test.

The Australian bowler admitted to feeling sorry for England off-spinner Moeen Ali who had to bowl 33 overs (2/147) in the first innings despite struggling with a blistered finger.

Ali has recently returned to Test cricket, having initially retired from the format in 2021 but was requested to return to the set-up following an injury to 31-year-old left-arm spinner Jack Leach, which ruled him out for the Ashes.

"It's massive to be honest with you, I actually sitting here have a lot of sympathy for Moeen. Not coming off any red-ball cricket for two years and thrown into bowling a lot of overs" said Lyon.

The 36-year-old Englishman was also fined 25 per cent of his match fee for applying a foreign substance on his finger without the umpires' consent during the first innings.

"The best way I can probably sum it up, and it will probably sound weird, is a singer losing their vocals but expecting to go out and put a concert on.

"It is extremely tough to grip the ball as finger spinners, especially as offies, we put our fingers on the seam and try to spin up the back of the ball. That's where we get spin, drop and drift. So a lot of sympathy for him, I've been there before, it is quite painful," explained Lyon.

The 35-year-old Aussie has played a crucial role in both of the hosts' batting innings, picking up 4/149 in the first innings and following it up with 4/80 to restrict England's second-innings lead.

"For me, it's about bowling my best ball and trying to get them to defend as much as I can and understanding they don't want to defend. And that's totally okay.

"It's a different challenge but it's exciting to be honest. They are playing a positive brand of cricket and I'm bloody proud to be a part of it to be honest, concluded Australia™s leading off-spin wicket-taker.

Australia ended Day 4 on 107/3, with Usman Khawaja (34*) and Scott Boland (13*) at the crease. The Aussies are chasing a target of 281.