MOEEN Ali is looking forward to playing with more freedom in England’s lower batting order during the Test series in South Africa, after admitting his spell as an opener was not a success.

The Worcestershire all-rounder was England’s third highest scorer batting at number eight or nine in the Ashes triumph over Australia last summer behind Joe Root and skipper Alastair Cook.

But his highest score was 35 in six innings at the top of the order during the series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates as a replacement for Adam Lyth.

Moeen, 28, said: “I’m actually looking forward to going back to eight and playing a few shots, hopefully freeing up. Obviously, opening didn’t work.

“I enjoyed it and it was a really good experience, but I didn’t score the runs I’d have liked.

“I probably got caught in two minds at times whether to attack or not, but things like that happen.

“I’m happy. I’ll just look to do my job wherever I bat."

Moeen shone with the ball ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Durban with 6-77 in the second innings against South Africa A in Pietermaritzburg as England won by an innings and 91 runs.

He said: “It was good because the ball spun up front and that’s what made it a bit difficult for the batsmen.

“It was nice to get some wickets and overs under my belt.

“I feel like I have been bowling well in practice but to do it out in the middle was good.

“I was just trying to keep it very simple and not think about it too much, to get my action right and do the simple things.

“I was trying to bowl tight and the wickets will come.

“This wicket was not as easy to bat on because some span and some didn’t. That made it quite dangerous.”

Moeen recognises he may be called upon in different roles, as an attacking bowler in favourable conditions or to try to keep an end tight in other circumstances.

He added: “It all depends on the wickets, I’m just going to go in, adapt my game and keep it simple.

“If it spins, then I’ll try to get some wickets, and if it’s not spinning, try to hold up an end and sometimes give the bowlers a rest.

“I don’t always do that very well (keep it tight) but it’s something I’ve been working on since I’ve been here and hopefully I can do that.”

Moeen is in England’s two 15-man squads for the five ODIs and two T20s against South Africa beginning in February.

Meanwhile, Worcestershire’s Ross Whiteley and Joe Clarke are in the England Lions squad for their second series of matches early in the new year.

They will fly out in early January for five 50-over clashes with Pakistan A in the UAE and be joined by County director of cricket Steve Rhodes, who is part of Lions’ coaching set-up.

Whiteley and Clarke were in the Lions squad who beat Pakistan A 3-2 in the T20 series earlier this month.

Clarke has recovered from a quad injury suffered in training, which ruled him out of most of the T20 matches.