Pom opener Stoneman tons up
MARK Stoneman has cast aside any doubts over England’s inexperienced batting line- up with a superb century on day two of their Ashes tour match at Riverway Stadium.
The England opener put the young Cricket Australia XI to the sword with a confident knock of 111 to give his side a handy 87- run lead at 3- 337 at stumps.
It was Stoneman’s fourth knock of 50 or more in as many innings after posting 85 in England’s two- day match in Perth, before scores of 61 and 51 in the day- night game in Adelaide.
He had some luck in Townsville as CA XI captain Matt Short dropped a tough chance in the gully when he was on 42, but Stoneman looked mostly 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 including, most recently, a titlewinning stint with Bankstown.
However, Stoneman was pragmatic about his good form heading into next week’s opening Ashes Test in Brisbane when he will face Australia’s all- star pace attack led by Mitchell Starc.
“It was nice to get to three figures after the starts I’ve had so far on the tour,” Stoneman said.
“Everything’s gone well at practice as well so it feels like my game’s in good order ( but) it’s going to be tested a hell of a lot more come next week.
“There’s going to be more pace and bounce in the attack and the pitch in Brisbane, but we’re playing here against a completely different team. All you can do is go through the processes. I just feel like I’m moving well and from that then I’ve just got to make good decisions.
“I don’t often think I’m in really good nick or I’m out of nick, I just tell by how my body’s moving. If I’m making the right decisions then generally the two work well together.”
England’s top six for the Gabba could include three Ashes debutants in Stoneman, James Vince and Dawid Malan, but they have shown some promising form in the final warm- up match.
Australia added one run to their overnight total before Stuart Broad ( 2- 33) had Harry Conway ( 1) caught off a short- pitched delivery, finishing with 250 thanks to a big- hitting cameo from Daniel Fallins ( 29no).
Stoneman and Alastair Cook ( 70) breezed through the first session as they combined for a 172run opening stand before Short ( 1- 57) finally snared the breakthrough after lunch when Cook mistimed a cut shot through to Harry Nielsen at first slip.
Vince ( 26) kept the runs flowing in a 42- run partnership with Stoneman before he was out to a controversial catch at short- leg off the bowling of Daniel Fallins ( 2- 71) just before tea.
Stoneman’s knock finally came to an end when Fallins had him caught and bowled in the second over after the break, but a 120- run stand from England skipper Joe Root ( 62no) and Malan ( 57no) saw the tourists through to stumps.
England are in a commanding position with two days left to play, but Stoneman gave no hint of a possible declaration in their final Ashes warm- up.
“We’ll just bat big, score as many runs as possible and try to do a thorough professional job. Be ruthless and go for the win,” he said.