Moeen calls on England to improve behaviour

Moeen Ali has admitted England's "off-field behaviour needs to improve" after Ben Duckett was suspended for the remainder of the England Lions tour.

Duckett, who was due to play for the England XI in the weekend's warm-up match against a CA XI, was also fined around £1,500 and given a final warning over his conduct after he poured a drink over James Anderson in a bar in the early hours of Friday morning.

While Moeen, captain of the England XI in the warm-up match, said he thought the portrayal of the team as "out of control" was "unfair", he urged his teammates to be mindful of the influence their actions - on and off the field - could have on young spectators.

"The off-field behaviour needs to improve," he said. "We all know that and hopefully that will happen in the future.

"It's not as bad as people make out, but these days small things are made into big things."

The incident, however, occurred in the Avenue Bar in Perth, the same venue that England had been frequenting on the first night of the tour, when Jonny Bairstow greeted Cameron Bancroft with a "head-butt". It also took place on the first night on which England's midnight curfew had been lifted.

"We're all grown men and should know how to behave," said Moeen. "Through county cricket all the way up to international cricket, the individual needs to be responsible for his behaviour.

"I think the image of the team is unfair but, as cricketers and professionals, with scrutiny on us, we have to be careful and behave ourselves.

"With young kids watching and hearing the news, we have to be on our best behaviour and I think it's really important that we inspire the younger generation to take up the game. Any poor behaviour could turn them away and that's not what we want."