Fan who helped with cure for Moeen Ali finger injury comes forward

Norfolk resident Susan Thompson-Craig got in touch and sent Moeen a gel made from honey with instructions about how to apply it

The fan who helped to cure Moeen Ali's injured finger has come forward.

Having not played Test cricket since his retirement in 2021, Moeen's much-hyped return to Test cricket as a replacement for the injured Jack Leach looked to be in jeopardy after only a single game.

The repetitive strain of bowling on his return to the Test arena led to a blister opening up on his right index finger, keeping him out of the second Test.

But after Norfolk resident Susan Thompson-Craig got in touch and sent Moeen a gel made from honey with instructions about how to apply it, his finger healed up in time for the allrounder to play a key part in England's win at Headingley.

Thompson-Craig, who works in sales for Integra, the manufacturers of Medihoney, told BBC Sport that she "tracked down an address for him and sent him a load of bits and pieces, with a letter explaining that we work with the NHS and also that there was nothing in the product that would contravene drug testing or his Muslim faith".

^{Moeen's finger injury... before and after}

Moeen then took the key wickets of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne before finding himself at No.3 in England's run-chase.

"I got home after the Edgbaston Test and a few days later I got a letter from a lady who said her husband is a big fan of mine," said Moeen after his recovery.

"It's amazing that someone had written to me about this. The only thing I'm really gutted about – I put the letter on the table in my house thinking after the series I will reply, now I can't find the letter.

"If the lady sees this, please get in contact because I really want to write back to say thank you."

Thompson-Craig's partner, Derek, came forward after seeing the appeal, emailing the BBC to pass on her details to Moeen to give an unusual Ashes story its happy ending.

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