England bowlers get good workout at the WACA

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England’s bowlers got a good workout on the final day of their first tour game in Australia as they dismissed a Western Australia XI for 342  in 86 overs in their two-day match in Perth on Sunday.

The touring side’s experienced new-ball pair, James Anderson and Stuart Broad, bowled 13 overs each with the former taking 4-27 and the latter picking one scalp.

Chris Woakes, who is likely to be the third seamer when the first Test gets underway, bowled 15 wicketless overs while Somerset pacer Craig Overton took two wickets but was on the expensive side, conceding 70 runs in his 13 overs.

With first-choice slow-bowler Moeen Ali nursing an injury, young leg-spinner Mason Crane took 2-75 in 17 overs with Jake Ball (1-31 in 12 overs) the other bowler to take a wicket.

For the home team, 20-year-old opener Josh Philippe hit 88 while Clint Hinchliffe scored 75 batting at number three.

The English batsmen started their tour on a positive note on Saturday with four of the top six reaching half-centuries although captain Joe Root (9) and experienced opener Alastair Cook (0) fell cheaply.

England will step up their preparations ahead of the first Ashes, starting at the GABBA on 23 November, with a four-day game against a Cricket Australia XI in Adelaide from Wednesday.

The tourists will then play the same opponents in another four-day clash in Townsville from 15 November before moving on to Brisbane for the first Test.

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