Hobart, Nov. 17: Chris Tremlett claimed four wickets as England bowled out the cream of Australia’s best young talent for 230 on the opening day of their four-day game at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval on Wednesday.
Tremlett took 4-54 off 17.1 overs and Ajmal Shahzad 3-57 from 21 overs as England’s second-choice bowlers got their turn after the tourists’ first string were sent to Brisbane ahead of the opening Ashes Test there on November 25.
Australia A hit back late on the first day to claim the wicket of England skipper Andrew Strauss for 10 to leave the tourists 22 for one at stumps. Alastair Cook was 10 not out with nightwatchman Monty Panesar on two.
England smashed through Australia A’s top order after winning the toss on a conducive pitch and had them reeling at 58 for four before late resistance from Steve Smith and Steve O’Keefe gave their team’s innings some respectability. Leg-spinner Smith, who is in Australia’s 17-man squad for next week’s Gabba Test, showed plenty of determination for his 59 while O’Keefe hit out lustily for 66 off 116 balls and was the last man out. “The ball was moving around a little bit,” Smith said.
“It was the sort of wicket that you never feel in on. It was tough to grind it out and get a few runs on the board. At stages England bowled a little bit too short, they didn’t make me drive all that much,” he said.
“They probably can learn from that in the second innings. But it was good to get out there and get a few runs under my belt,” Smith added. Tremlett claimed the wickets of out-of-favour Test opener Phillip Hughes (2), skipper Cameron White (5), wicketkeeper Tim Paine (27) and O’Keefe.
Shahzad showed plenty of aggression to grab the wickets of Test prospect Usman Khawaja (13), Smith and Clint McKay (0). England lost their early momentum as conditions improved for batting in the afternoon, with Smith and O’Keefe hitting out freely.
Brief scores: Australia ‘A’ 230 (Steve O’ Keefe 66, Steven Smith 59, Ed Cowan 31, Chris Tremlett 4/54, Ajmal Shahzad 3/57) vs England XI 22/1.