MOEEN ALI SAYS HE'S FIT FOR THE ASHES... SO WHY'S HE PLAYING WITH A CROCODILE?

England all-rounder has been suffering with a side strain but looked okay on a visit to a wildlife park

Moeen Ali has proved he's fit enough for the Ashes after a side strain... by 'wrestling' with a crocodile.

The England all-rounder caused a little worry in the England camp when he sustained the injury in training last week, forcing him out of the warm-up game against a Cricket Australia XI in Adelaide.

However, on Monday the Worcestershire man gave the tourists a major boost by saying he will be ready to take on the Australians when the series gets under way in Brisbane on November 23.

During a visit to a wildlife park in Queensland, he confirmed that he was available for England's final warm-up match - against against a Cricket Australia XI in Townsville.

Facing Mitchell Johnson scary?

Try getting close to "Bully the Townsville crocodile" #BBCCricket #Ashes pic.twitter.com/VQX0J0tkVl

— Test Match Special (@bbctms) November 13, 2017

^{Moeen Ali feeds a crocodile at the Billabong Sanctuary in Townsville}

"I am good," he said. "Just a slight strain on my side from throwing. It is a bit frustrating obviously, not playing, but also not a bad thing.

"You get a lot more work done than everybody else behind the scenes.

"I feel like I am ready to play and I can't wait to spend time in the field. We have got four days of, hopefully, good cricket.

"I can get a bit of game time in my system and then ready to play, hopefully, at The Gabba."

Moeen was speaking after he and Alastair Cook fed 'Bully the Crocodile' - a 4.5-metre, 500-kilogram beast - at the Billabong Sanctuary in Townsville.

England will be hoping their premier spinner shows as much bite as the croc when the fiercest Test series of all begins next week.

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