Wednesday 26 August 2015 20:50, UK
Moeen Ali has set his sights on replacing Adam Lyth at the top of the England batting order.
The 28 year-old enjoyed a successful Ashes series with the bat, scoring 293 runs at an average of 36.62, despite only batting at number eight or below.
Moeen has never featured higher than six for England but the Worcestershire batsman believes he has all the attributes needed to form a successful opening partnership with Alastair Cook.
"I would love to be batting back up the order, because coming in at number eight it was already 80 for six or something like that," he said.
"Before the series I thought to myself that the best thing I could do was be consistent and hopefully push myself up. I feel I've done that, and I was last man out in both innings at The Oval.
"I certainly wouldn't mind opening, in Tests as well as white-ball cricket - even though I've never done it in first-class cricket, I have in the second team as well as in one-day stuff with Worcestershire and England."
Moeen admits he feels sympathetic towards England's current under-fire opener Lyth. The Yorkshireman struggled for form this summer and averaged just 12.77 across the five Test matches against Australia.
"I feel a bit bad talking about that because of Adam Lyth," he said.
"It's probably the hardest job in cricket, opening the batting, especially in the Ashes, and he must be so frustrated because I always thought he looked all right against the new ball - he just couldn't go past getting those starts.
"I really admire the way he stayed bubbly and positive in the changing room when it can be very easy to not give anything to the team. That's a big attribute to have and the reason everyone always likes Lythy. I think he'll come back strong."
Moeen, who is now ranked as the seventh best all-rounder in Test cricket, has proved to be invaluable for England with both bat and ball, taking 12 wickets at an average of 45.5 across the series. However, the off-spinner is hoping to be more economical in future.
"I wasn't happy with my bowling again," he said after England's defeat in the final Test.
"I know I took three wickets but I was expensive. It hasn't been easy in this series because they've been coming at me, and sometimes even when you bowl well you get hit for fours.
"I'll speak to people like Saeed Ajmal at Worcester about what's been happening but mostly it will be about working it out for myself."
Moeen was recently named in both of Trevor Bayliss' squads for the upcoming T20 and ODI series against Australia.
