Stoneman proves rock solid
MARK Stoneman has cast aside any doubts over England’s inexperienced batting line-up with a superb century on day two of the Ashes tour match at Riverway Stadium.
The opener put the young Cricket Australia XI to the sword with a confident 111 to give his side an 87-run lead at 3-337 at stumps.
It was Stoneman’s fourth 50 in as many innings. He scored 85 in England’s two-day match in Perth then 61 and 51 in the day-night game in Adelaide.
CA XI captain Matt Short dropped a tough chance in the gully when Stoneman was on 42, but he looked untroubled in the warm conditions.
The 30-year-old is no stranger to Australian pitches, having played six seasons in the NSW Premier Cricket competition.
England’s top six for next week’s first Test could include three Ashes debutants in Stoneman, James Vince, and Dawid Malan, but they’ve shown some promising form in the final warm-up match.
Australia added just one run to its overnight total before Stuart Broad (2-33) had Harry Conway (1) caught off a shortpitched delivery.
Stoneman and Alastair Cook (70) breezed through the first session with a 172-run opening stand before Short (1-57) snared the breakthrough after lunch when Cook mistimed a cut shot to Harry Nielsen at first slip.
Vince (26) kept the runs flowing before he was caught off the bowling of Daniel Fallins (2-71) just before tea to have England at 2-214.