• England coach says it would ‘an absolute bonus’ if Stokes joins squad • Players have drawn up written code of conduct for behaviour in Australia

Trevor Bayliss has written off hopes of Ben Stokes’s involvement in the Ashes, leaving the England coach to draw up contingency plans without the all-rounder.

Bayliss believes it would be an “absolute bonus” if Stokes is able to join the England squad but has a backup plan for the series against Australia that would see Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali shunted up the order and a fourth seamer brought in.

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Stokes remains under police investigation for causing actual bodily harm on a night out in Bristol in the early hours of 25 September, an incident that resulted in Bayliss being called back to London for meetings rather than spend a three-week family break in Sydney. As England prepare for their opening tour match in Perth on Saturday, Bayliss admitted the incident had “mucked our plans around” but outlined how the furore had led to the squad taking responsibility for their behaviour with a new written code of conduct.

“I haven’t got a clue,” said Bayliss, when asked when Stokes, who will face an internal ECB investigation after the criminal proceedings conclude, would next be available for selection. “It’s totally out of our hands. We have just got on with preparing as best we can. I have [written Stokes off]. If he turns up it’s an absolute bonus. And if he did happen to turn up, I’m quite sure he would slip back in very easily.”

Bayliss downplayed the on-field disruption of Stokes’s absence, because of the flexibility afforded by England’s many of all-rounders, including the wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, the off-spinner Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes, who will bat at No8. Bayliss argued this would see all three play in their natural position, and that Stokes would eventually find himself at No5. Joe Root, the captain, will remain at No4.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Trevor Bayliss says off the field it is the “players’ own choice whether they break a rule or work things out for themselves.” Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

“Having to replace Ben and the combination that we come up with requires doing a bit of both [batting and bowling],” Bayliss said. “Mooen Ali batting as low as eight for the last couple of years, I think that’s a waste. It’s a combination that we will get to as the team develop. We have had problems at the top of the order so having Mo at eight and Woakes nine suited us.

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“The way Stokes has been playing, he’s developing into a world-class No5. Those three, in whatever combination, that’s a pretty good five, six, seven with Woakes at No8. I think that’s what we were working towards anyway.”

This brings the possibility of a Test debut for the Somerset paceman Craig Overton – who would slot in at No9 with ease – at the Gabba on 23 November. Bayliss said he was comfortable throwing a debutant in (among England’s 16-man squad, Mason Crane and Ben Foakes are also uncapped), but has the experience of Steven Finn and Jake Ball to call on, too.

England will also keep close tabs on Mark Wood’s progress with the Lions when they head to Australia in a fortnight. “The Lions will be in and around the squad in Brisbane and Perth practising,” he said, “so that keeps the guys on their toes.”

The impact of Stokes and Alex Hales’s night out is being felt among the squad. Bayliss described the incident as “a wake-up call” regarding their off-field behaviour and the squad met Andrew Strauss, the director of cricket, to discuss the topic at Lord’s last Friday. The outcome of this will be a written code of conduct, drawn up by the players. England have the same level of security on this tour as any other, but the players have been reminded to inform Reg Dickason and his security staff where and when they are heading out.

There will still be no curfews but, according to Bayliss, they will “make sure in the two or three days before a game we are back in good time, not out late – that should be the norm anyway. Whatever rules and regs you have there’s going to be a bit of a wake-up call. We would have preferred it not to be such a big wake-up call.

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“It doesn’t matter if you have rules and regulations and curfews. In the end it’s the players’ own choice whether they break a rule or work things out for themselves. There will be times when they are able to go out and have a few beers. It’s a long tour, you can’t be cooped up in a hotel room for four months. It’s a case of being sensible and professional, that doesn’t change with set rules in place or not.”

On Chris Silverwood, the title-winning Essex coach, who the Guardian revealed will be England’s new fast bowling coach, Bayliss said: “Negotiations are ongoing but hopefully it will be finalised in the next week or two. I’m looking forward to working with him, the guy’s had really good success over last couple of years.”

England’s opening opposition, a Western Australia XI, will be captained by the fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile, a contender for the first Test. He was the man of the match in the opening round of Sheffield Shield action but has been rested for WA’s game against New South Wales.