Moeen Ali is a prospect-and-a-half, moving from age-group prodigy to the man with the job of filling Graeme Hick's boots at Worcestershire.

He began at local rivals Warwickshire at the tender age of 15 and he was awarded the captaincy of the England Under-19 team for the World Cup in 2006 after apparently growing up overnight. "I've never seen anyone change so fast," said his shocked coach Andy Pick - who instantly elevated him to the leader's role. Ali took his team to the semi-final; not bad going as they had entered the tournament on the back of an 11-0 drubbing in Bangladesh.

A talented and explosive batsman, he blasted a century in 56 balls against Sri Lanka in a Test in 2005, and once smashed 195 not out in a Twenty20 match for his under-15 club side Moseley Ashfield. He represented England at U-15 and U-16 level, and won the Denis Compton medal two years in succession. His useful offspinners make him a formidable allrounder.

After leaving Warwickshire for Worcestershire in 2007, it took Moeen two years to establish himself in the first XI and he was a regular in the County Champiosnhip team in 2009, scoring 803 runs at 28.67 with two centuries.

2010 was a major breakthrough season. He made 1,270 runs at 47.03 gaining wide recognition of his talent and the murmurings of higher honours began. But he failed to back that up in Division One in 2011 and in 2012 suffered like many in a wet summer as Worcestershire finished bottom of the top division.

His off-spin has developed very nicely and without a specialist spinner of much quality in the Worcestershire squad, Moeen takes on much responsibility. In 2012 he returned a more-than-useful 33 wickets at 29.00.

He has a good pedigree to boot - his brother, Kadeer, plays county cricket and their cousin, Kabir is a team-mate was at Worcestershire before moving to Hampshire and both act as Moeen's mentors.
ESPNcricinfo staff