Moeen Ali showed some signs of form as England drew their Ashes tour match against a Cricket Australia XI, while Tom Curran impressed again.
Runs have been difficult to come by for Moeen so far on this Ashes tour. He scored just 78 across two innings in the first Test defeat in Brisbane and followed that up with scores of 25 and 2 in the loss in Adelaide.
Captaining the side against CA XI, Moeen was dismissed for just 24 in the first innings of the two-day match, as England declared on 314-9 in Perth.
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However, he found some fluency in the second innings on Sunday, scoring 47 off 41 balls with six fours and a pair of maximums before falling to Jackson Koop.
Gary Ballance, meanwhile, was unbeaten on 45 as England declared on 130-3 in response after the CA XI had done so on 151-4, the hosts having started day two on 62-1.
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But, after being dismissed for just one in the first innings, it remains to be seen whether Ballance has done enough to put himself in contention to play in the third Test at the WACA - with James Vince’s position in the team seemingly vulnerable after scores of two and 15 in Adelaide.
{{/usCountry}}But, after being dismissed for just one in the first innings, it remains to be seen whether Ballance has done enough to put himself in contention to play in the third Test at the WACA - with James Vince’s position in the team seemingly vulnerable after scores of two and 15 in Adelaide.
{{/usCountry}}Needing 294 to win, the CA XI reached 269-8 before play was brought to a close. Tom Curran took 3-28 in the second innings after recording figures of 2-28 in the first, catching the eye with the ball having scored 77 not out with the bat on day one.
Curran’s hopes of playing at the WACA seem slim, but a Test debut at the MCG or the SCG could be in the offing should the Ashes slip away in the third Test. Fast bowler Mark Wood took two wickets in the CA XI’s first innings but posted figures of 0-37 in the second.