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PERTH, Oct 30: England’s Ashes campaign took a step forward Wednesday as the tourists outplayed Western Australia only to fall five runs short of victory.
Young pace bowler Simon Jones took five wickets before England’s batsmen, chasing 135 to win from 20 overs, closed the final day on 130 for five in the drawn encounter.
Opener Robert Key smashed an unbeaten 59 but England, having reached 80 for two, lost momentum when Mark Butcher and John Crawley were dismissed by spinner Brad Hogg with consecutive balls.
The first Test against Australia starts next week in Brisbane.
England began with ordinary performances in their first two tour games against second-string state sides in Perth.
Western Australia, 114 behind on the first innings, resumed on 16 for one and had looked comfortable as they reached 122 for two at lunch.
However, despite a 141-run stand for the third wicket between Justin Langer (68) and Chris Rogers (86), the home side then collapsed to 248 all out.
They lost their last eight wickets for 84 runs with opening bowler Jones taking five for 78 from 19 overs at Perth’s WACA ground, which traditionally suits quick bowlers.
All-rounder Craig White, called into the touring squad a week ago to cover for the injured Andrew Flintoff, took two for 54 including the wickets of Test batsman Langer and Marcus North for a duck in successive balls.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (1st Innings)
213 (M.J. North 71 not out; A.R. Caddick 4-49).
ENGLAND (1st Innings) 327 (N. Hussain 117; M.J. Nicholson 6-79).
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (2nd Innings,overnight 16-1):
M.E. Hussey c Caddick b Jones 14
S.W. Meuleman lbw b Caddick 1
C.J.L. Rogers lbw b Jones 86
J.L. Langer c Stewart b White 68
M.J. North c Stewart b White 0
R.J. Campbell c Crawley b Jones 25
G.B. Hogg c Trescothick b Jones 18
M.J. Nicholson lbw b Jones 2
B.A. Williams c Crawley b Giles 13
J. Angel run out 10
S.J. Karppinen not out 3
EXTRAS (LB-4, NB-4) 8 Total (all out, 74.2 overs) 248
Fall of wickets: 1-9 2-23 3-164 4-164 5-178 6-203 7-219 8-222 9-240
Bowling: Caddick 18-7-31-1, Jones 19-1-78-5 (nb-3), Harmison 7-0-28-0, White 13.2-1-54-2 (nb-1), Giles 17-4-53-1
ENGLAND (2nd Innings):
M.E. Trescothick b Williams 19
R.W.T. Key not out 59
C. White run out 12
M.A. Butcher st Campbell b Hogg 7
J.P. Crawley c Angel b Hogg 0
A.J. Stewart c Campbell b N’olson 26
N. Hussain not out 7
EXTRAS 0
TOTAL (for five wkts, 20 overs) 130
FALL OF WKTS: 1-52, 2-64, 3-80, 4-80, 5-121.
BOWLING: Williams 8-1-41-1; Angel 5-0-37-0; Hogg 4-0-26-2; Nicholson 3-0-26-1.
RESULT: Match drawn.
UMPIRES: I.H. Lock and R.G. Patterson.—Reuters
