ZAC MORRIS'S future at Hampshire has been thrown into doubt after the club suspended him following a court appearance on a drinking charge.

The former England Under-19 international was fined £120 by Southampton magistrates and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £55 after pleading guilty to a drunk and disorderly charge, arising from an incident in the city centre.

Morris was suspended for three matches by Hampshire as the club carried out their pre-season threat to take a hard line on players' discipline.

Before the start of the season, Hampshire players were warned by letter that the club was determined to clamp down on any indiscipline.

Later, the players had clauses inserted into their contracts limiting their drinking before and during the course of championship matches.

Morris had worked hard to get himself back into the Hampshire reckoning this season, switching from bowling slow left-arm spin to seam, and getting himself into Hampshire's one-day squad with some good performances in the Norwich Union National League.

But, following his court appearance, Hampshire showed their determination to act.

Coaching director Tim Tremlett confirmed: "The matter was dealt with internally and he was suspended for three games," after Morris was left out of the squad for the National League games against Durham and Sussex, and the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy match at Durham.

Tremlett said: "Hopefully he has learned his lesson.

"Because of what happened he's now out of the team, the team have won and he's going to find it difficult to get back in.

"He has been given a warning about his future and it's been made clear that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated.

"This follows on from what we said before the start of the season when players were told categorically that we would not accept this sort of thing," said Tremlett.