PAUL NEWMAN: England turn to dad’s army! Ben Stokes picks oldest seam Test attack since 1928 as they attempt to stick it up the Aussies… as Moeen Ali admits ‘you know what you’re going to get’

If old is real gold, as Moeen Ali put it on Monday, then England have nothing to fear when their father’s army strikes Old Trafford on Wednesday.

There was certainly no panic from England when they named the oldest seam strike to have competed in an Ashes Test since 1928 and one of the oldest bowling formations, when a 36-year-old spinner is thrown in at Moeen. could have ever completed.

England look a stronger side for the recall of Jimmy Anderson, who was on the verge of making his mark in what could be his final Test at home, at the expense of a bowler in Ollie Robinson struggling for both fitness and pace in this series.

Moen thinks so. He will continue in the role of number 3 to allow others to stay in their favorite places for this mouth-watering fourth test and is delighted to be part of an aging England strike tasked with rattling Australia and leveling of the axis. After all, as Mark Wood proved with his exciting pace in Leeds, Australia don’t like it.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of it,” said Moeen of England’s aged attack as both sets of Ashes soldiers reported after nine days of catching their breath since Headingley’s mini-miracle. “It’s great to have Jimmy back and they are all brilliant bowlers.

Stuart Broad (left) and James Anderson (right) will line up again after Anderson is recalled to the side

Moeen will hit number 3 again in the fourth test and has promised to ‘try to hit well’

“The thing with guys with this kind of experience is you always know what you’re going to get. You may not know what you get with me, but with them!’

It’s been quite a summer for Moeen. He came out of red-ball retirement to answer England’s SOS when Jack Leach was ruled out of the Ashes with a stress fracture of the back.

Then, after missing practice to collect his OBE, he damaged his spinning finger as he struggled to cope with the Dukes ball and the added workload on his return to Edgbaston, with Moeen eventually being fined for using a spray on it without the referee’s permission.

After being omitted from Lord’s, Moeen returned to Headingley to take the key wickets from Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith in a crucial phase of England’s win, finishing No. 3 in their chase after volunteering to help Harry Brook and Jonny Bairstow.

And all that with a patched index finger reinforced, like Mail sports revealed, through a honey remedy sent to him by an NHS worker who saw his pain and wanted to help.

Staying on three for now, he goes up the batting order for once instead of sliding down, in a selfless gesture typical of the man and the values ​​that Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have instilled in this England team.

“I think for the team it’s the best position for me at the moment,” said 36-year-old Moeen, who is not seeking an extension to his Test return after tomorrow’s game and the final Test in the oval. next week.

“I just thought Brooky’s value at five and Jonny’s at seven would be better for the team when I suggested this. I thought ‘why not?’ I’ve already hit three. I’ve made Test Hundreds before. It’s not that I can’t. And I’m past the stage where it’s about me, averages or something.’

Harry Brook, batting at No. 3 in the first innings of the third Test, returns to No. 5

Moeen is on the brink of the all-rounder’s double of 3,000 test runs and 200 wickets

However, Moeen will “try to hit good” rather than act as a Bazball pinch-hitter of sorts, which should give him a better chance of scoring the extra 23 he needs to clinch the all-rounder’s double of 3,000 test runs and 200 wickets to complete. in his 67th game.

“I think that would mean more to my father,” he said. “It would mean a lot to me too, but my dad is the one who craves it so hopefully I can get there.

‘I know it’s only 20 runs but it feels like miles away! I hope it happens and I know it would make my family proud.”

He struggles with his spinning finger, but is confident that he can now meet the demands

And Moeen is confident that his finger can now handle the demands placed on it in a field known for its spin — it looked better on Monday without fully healing — thanks to the anonymous fan who came to his aid. came as he struggled after Edgbaston.

“I came home after that Test and a few days later I got a letter from a lady who said her husband was a big fan of mine,” he told the BBC. “They watched and saw the cut on my finger and thought that Medihoney would really help me. So I tried it and it healed my finger right away. I thought ‘wow, this is great’.

‘The only thing that bothers me is that I can’t find the letter and I really want to answer this lady. I put it on a table thinking I would answer, but I can’t find it now. If she reads this please get back in touch as I really want to write back and thank you.”

The Good Samaritan will be grateful to the nation if Moeen and his fellow governors here propel England to victory and set up a decider on the Oval.