Moeen Ali would "love" to open batting for England

Moeen Ali has expressed his desire to open the batting for England at next year's one-day international World Cup.

The 27-year-old was given the chance to stake his claim for that position during yesterday's warm-up encounter against Sri Lanka A and he responded with a 21-ball half-century, before he was eventually dismissed for 56.

With the World Cup due to get underway in February, the all-rounder has conceded that he would "love" to keep hold of that role throughout the tournament and beyond.

"If everything goes all right, I'd love to open all the way through [to the World Cup]. I'd love to open for the rest of my life for England," he told the ECB's official website.

Tourists England went on to win the contest by 56 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method.