Seamer Woakes winds up
Queensland feel heat
ENGLAND seamer Chris Woakes has fired a warning shot ahead of next week’s first Ashes Test with a six-wicket haul on day one of their tour match against the Cricket Australia XI in Townsville.
Woakes was easily the standout on an overcast day, finishing with figures of 6-54 from his 18 overs to reduce the young Australian team to 9-249 at stumps. England’s pace depth has been stretched thin during their warm-up matches, with Jimmy Anderson not playing in Townsville due to illness while Steven Finn has been sent home to recover from a knee injury.
But Woakes – who has played just one Ashes Test at The Oval in 2013 – showed he could be the spearhead as England look to retain the urn on Australian soil for just the third time since 1986.
CA XI openers Nick Larkin (30) and Jake Carder (39) looked comfortable early against the more experienced England attack as they combined for a 66-run partnership. ALARM bells were ringing for Queensland in their six-wicket Sheffield Shield loss to unbeaten ladder leaders NSW in Brisbane – literally.
Set 128 to win, the Blues’ decision to delay the tea break and push for the final 18 runs for victory was sabotaged by a fire alarm, set off in the NSW dressing room by Test spinner Nathan Lyon burning toast.
Tea was called with NSW 4-110 when the third umpire, scorer, players and spectators were forced to evacuate the Stuart Law Stand at Allan Border Field with rain threatening.
The Blues returned 20 minutes later to reach 4-130 and claim victory with a day to spare in their top-of-the-table clash. NSW No.6 Daniel Hughes was man of the match.