England in WACA fight

ENGLAND’S bowling attack have copped a pre-Ashes wake-up call after struggling against a youthful WA XI outfit in the two-day tour match at the WACA Ground.

England posted a respectable 6(dec)-349 with the bat on Saturday. But their frontline pace attack struggled to make a dent against what is effectively a third-string WA side.

WA opener Josh Philippe feasted on the way to 88 off 92 balls, with the little- known 20year-old cracking 16 boundaries. At tea on day two, the WA XI were 4-208, with Clint Hinchliffe on 19, and Tim David on 21. At one stage, the home side was 1-125.