Cook still struggles but England gain a foothold

ALASTAIR Cook remains short of runs at the start of England’s Ashes tour after his second cheap dismissal in as many innings.

Cook added 15 in England’s pinkball trial at the Adelaide Oval against a Cricket Australia XI to his second-ball duck in Perth four days ago.

While the national all-time record run scorer has just 76 runs in his last six innings, since August’s doublecentury in the day-night Test at Edgbaston, his opening partner Mark Stoneman steered England to a teatime 87-2 after being put in on a sunny afternoon.

Cook was caught behind for the fourth time in those six attempts, when he became a maiden first-class victim for left-arm seam bowler Jackson Coleman.

The pink ball appeared curiously hard to time for England’s top order and a slow outfield with no cut square either side of the drop-in pitch meant boundaries were scarce.

James Vince took 10 balls to get off the mark, but, as at the WACA in Perth, he and the left-handed Stoneman were an effective combination in a stand of 61.

Stoneman ought to have been caught behind, too, having battled his way to 17 off 44 balls.

However, Tim Paine dropped an edged cut after Gurinder Sandhu switched to the Cathedral End for his second spell.

Vince appeared set for his second half-century of the tour until he missed a slog-sweep and was bowled.

That gave 21-year-old leg-spinner Daniel Fallins a maiden first-class wicket with just his fifth delivery at this level.

Joe Root, therefore, joined Stoneman to close out the session without furher mishap.