England captain Andrew Strauss warmed up for the first Test against Pakistan this week by testing out a revolutionary new bowling machine that was originally developed in the United States.

The ProBatter not only uses Hawk-Eye technology to replicate any bowler in the world, it also produces an image of the bowler running in to deliver the ball via a computerised video screen prior to the ball being released.

Strauss used the machine at the National Performance Centre in Loughborough in preparation for Thursday's Test, in which England's batsmen are expecting a stern test from Pakistan's swing bowlers at Trent Bridge.

"This will take practice up to another level," England and Wales Cricket Board's batting coach Dene Hills told the Daily Mail.

"This machine has been in use in baseball for 10 years. Before the Ashes, the guys will be in here facing Mitchell Johnson, which can only help them when they encounter the real thing."

Although the bowling machine should make a difference to England's Ashes preparations, the newspaper reports that Australia have also acquired one ahead of the five-Test series.