County Championship 2022: Hasan Ali breaks middle stump with searing yorker to dismiss James Bracey

Hasan Ali has had a dream start to his County Championship campaign this year and he bowled an excellent yorker to get rid of James Bracey in the ongoing Division One game between Lancashire and Gloucestershire. In the final session of day three’s play, Ali took the new ball alongside veteran James Anderson, and in the final delivery of the 25th over, he came from around the stumps to get through the defenses of the wicketkeeper-batter Bracey with a toe crushing yorker that broke the middle stump into half.

In the first innings, Ali was the pick of the bowlers for Lancashire as he finished 6 for 47 in his 17 overs that included six maidens. He has been looking in great rhythm ever since coming into the country and these performances will do a world of good to his confidence considering his future on the Pakistan side. His form was a concern after the Australia tour where he did not have the best of times and hardly picked up wickets.

Here’s the brilliant delivery from Hasan Ali

What a ball from Hasan Ali, middle stump is broken. pic.twitter.com/Ucd5ceHsDq

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 23, 2022

The 27-year-old had a tremendous start to his international career with some stunning numbers but his form saw a dip since the T20 World Cup 2021. He was under huge criticism after his dropped catch against Australia in the semi-final which proved very costly in the end. In a recent interview, he had mentioned not being able to sleep for two nights after the dropped catch incident and noted his practice sessions where he has taken around 500 catches without dropping.

Meanwhile, Gloucestershire after winning the toss opted to bat first and they could manage just 252 in their first innings with half-centuries from Chris Dent and Ryan Higgins. Lancashire in reply got to a mammoth 556 for 7 in 166 overs and decided to declare with a brilliant 231 from the bat of Josh Bohannon and skipper Dane Vilas getting a century as well.

Gloucestershire trail by 237 runs in their second innings with their top three batters Dent, Marcus Harris and Bracey back in the dugout and the onus will be on Miles Hammond and Graeme van Buuren to rescue the side from a tough position.