Duo nabs centuries as Poms toil in field
CA XI captain Matt Short may have taken England’s attack for an unbeaten century at Riverway Stadium, but he believes the tourists can still trouble Australia when the Ashes get under way on Thursday.
England were forced to toil in the hot Townsville sun on the final day of their tour match, taking just one wicket for 243 runs as Short ( 134no) and Jason Sangha ( 133) batted out a draw.
Sangha, 18, became the second- youngest player to score a first- class century against England – behind Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar – after his incredible 263- run stand with 22- year- old Short.
England leg- spinner Mason Crane ( 2- 97) finally broke the fourth- wicket partnership when he drew Sangha into a loose shot which found Dawid Malan at backward square.
Short ( pictured) and Harry Nielsen ( 2no) took the CA XI to 4- 364 before both sides decided to shake hands an hour early with no chance of a result.
When asked if he and Sangha had exposed a weakness in England’s bowlers before the first Ashes Test at the Gabba, Short argued that the lifeless pitch and sweltering conditions in Townsville would have played a big part.
“It’s a tough question. I think conditions out here are pretty good for batting so it was tough for the quicks to maintain their pace and their consistency, especially in this heat as well,” he said.
“They definitely impressed with the new ball. It was tough going early on. I think once we got a decent partnership we definitely felt like they dropped off a little bit. I know it’s day four and everything, but I didn’t feel much pressure through the middle.
“They were pretty flat, but they were still up and about as in talking to us guys at the crease and still a bit of banter out there so it was good fun.”
It was a special moment for Short and Sangha as they brought up their maiden firstclass centuries against an allstar England side including Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, and Moeen Ali.
Short admitted they were both feeling the nerves as they closed in on the milestone, but the skipper said watching Sangha reach his hundred first had made him determined to follow suit.
“To see the smile on his face and the emotion that he showed after he brought up his hundred, it was pretty cool to be out there with him,” Short said.
“He actually struggled a bit I think. He was making me nervous at the other end, but it was an awesome experience once he brought his up. I just felt pretty determined to get mine up as well.
“I guess coming into the 80s and 90s, it got a bit nerve- racking, but to ride that wave with ‘ Sang’ was awesome and just a really good experience.”