What did we learn from Day One of England’s final Ashes warm up game?
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With the start of the Ashes series just over a week away, England have one final chance to get themselves ready for a fierce couple of months with a final warm up game against a Cricket Australia XI in Townsville, Queensland.
England lost the toss and were asked to bowl first and they’ll be satisfied with their display as they reduced the CA XI to 249/9 by the close of play.
Here’s what we learned from day one of the final warm up game.
England’s Ashes XI
England tipped their hand for their Ashes selection and there were no surprises.
Jimmy Anderson was given a rest but ten of the players picked in this game will start in Brisbane.
Jonny Bairstow was selected to bat at six with Moeen Ali at seven, Chris Woakes at eight and Craig Overton was picked at nine.
This means Gary Ballance misses out whilst Mason Crane will be the only player picked in this game who won’t start the first Test.
Oh no Bairstow!
The last thing England needed in the game was an injury to a key player but that’s what they got when Jonny Bairstow was hurt by a ball that bounced just in front of him as he tried to take it from a Chris Woakes delivery.
After getting some treatment on his left hand from the physio, he left the field to be replaced by Ben Foakes.
He was off the field for about 50 minutes but thankfully he was able to return with the injury diagnosed as a bruise and nothing more serious.
England can’t afford to lose a key man like Bairstow and it was a welcome sight to see him return.
Wonderful Woakes
England’s bowlers struggled to take wickets initially as the CA XI openers combined to put on 66 runs.
However, Chris Woakes soon ran through their top order, taking four wickets in three overs to reduce them to 91/4.
He returned later in the day and took two more wickets, meaning he ended the day with figures of six for 54.
There’s been a lot of talk about the Australia quick bowlers and also Broad and Anderson but Woakes, in this form, is equally as dangerous as them all and he’ll be desperate to carry this momentum into the Tests.
All good for Ali
Moeen Ali showed that he’s fully over the injury issue which kept him out of the last game. He bowled 16 overs and whilst he went wicketless, he did offer Joe Root some control as he went at less than three runs an over.
OK by Overton
England selected just three fast bowlers for the game and that meant a more prominent role for Craig Overton.
He bowled well all day, taking two wickets for 32 runs in his 18 overs. As the fourth seamer in the Test matches, if he can pick up the odd wicket whilst keeping the run-rate down, he’ll be doing a very good job for his country.
Concern for Crane
Mason Crane is a young leg-spinner still finding his way in the game. With Anderson rested, he was given another chance to play.
Unfortunately, his bowling was once again too easy to score from as he went at nearly four runs an over.
If Ali does miss any time, Crane will be England’s front line spinner and in truth, I’m not sure he’s ready for that.
I thought his selection was odd at the time and I’ve seen nothing to change my mind on that.
Broad's back
After being rested for the last game, Stuart Broad led the England attack in Townsville.
He looked a bit rusty to begin the day and whilst he wasn’t leaking runs, he didn’t really look too threatening.
However, he got some much-needed overs in his legs and returned to take the final wicket of the day.