Several fringe English players put up their hands for Test selection on the opening day of the tour match against Western Australia at the WACA Ground in Perth on Saturday, one of the tourists' best days in a previously forgettable tour.
At stumps, the home side was 8-309 after winning the toss and electing to bat, with rookie WA batsman Luke Pomersbach providing a late flourish and unbeaten on 90, but the story of the first day was a much-improved showing from the English attack.
Little has gone right for the English since they arrived in Australia, but there were plenty of positives from their bowling performance, less than a week out from the third Test at the same venue.
Spinner Monty Panesar again impressed, seamers James Anderson and Sajid Mahmood were amongst the wickets and speedster Steve Harmison finally hit his straps as the English overcame some poor early fielding.
To cap an encouraging day for the English, wicketkeeper Chris Read took three catches in a polished performance, including one superb effort to remove WA opener Chris Rogers.
With so much speculation about his likely promotion at the expense of fellow left-arm spinner Ashley Giles, Panesar undoubtedly strengthened his claim for the Perth Test with a lively bowling display that could easily have netted more than one wicket and even managed a direct hit run out late in the day.
{{/usCountry}}With so much speculation about his likely promotion at the expense of fellow left-arm spinner Ashley Giles, Panesar undoubtedly strengthened his claim for the Perth Test with a lively bowling display that could easily have netted more than one wicket and even managed a direct hit run out late in the day.
{{/usCountry}}Having taken two of the only three wickets claimed by his side in the Lilac Hill match on Friday, Panesar bowled from both ends and was impressive every time he was called upon, finishing with 1-69 from 25 overs.