Star bowler Stuart Broad key for England
Stuart Broad's improvement was the most encouraging aspect as England nonetheless floundered against a determined Australian Invitational XI rearguard in their final Ashes warm-up at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.
Broad's figures of 20-7-36-3 were a heartening indication, with the first Test only eight days away, that he has benefited from his first match practice of the winter in last week's rain-wrecked draw in Hobart.
Steven Finn produced a much patchier performance but, after he also picked up two more flattering wickets, the hosts were struggling on 93-5.
England were then singularly unable, however, to make the next crucial breakthrough as Ryan Carters (94 not out) and captain Peter Nevill (76no) combined for an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 178, to consolidate a half-century too from opener Ed Cowan (51) in a stumps total of 271-5.
The first day of four therefore turned into a frustration for the tourists, as two unheralded opponents shut them out for 58 overs.
England's primary objective, as well as a win to set them on their way to Brisbane next week, will be to ensure their seamers all reach the Ashes opener as well-prepared as possible. To that end, Alastair Cook put the Invitationals in under cloudless skies but on a pitch which has spent several days of rain under cover.
"Everyone is talking about the Ashes now, especially in Australia," Broad said.
"I think the Aussies are excited about their chances but for an England side, the 17 guys in the squad, it is not important what people from Australia and Cricket Australia say.
"It is irrelevant to our preparations and irrelevant how we operate.
"We are here to play cricket, to play tough cricket, and to make sure that we get ourselves ready for that because you do your talking on the field."
