The Ashes

England's fast bowlers have rotten first day on Ashes tour as Western Australia Chairman's XI pile on runs

 

James Anderson throws the ball to bowler Boyd Rankin during the Ashes tour match against a Western Australia Chairman's XI at the WACA ground in Perth

 

Boyd Rankin bowls during the Ashes tour match against a Western Australia Chairman's XI at the WACA ground in Perth 

Marcus Harris and Luke Towers from the Western Australia Chairman's XI walk from the field at the lunch break with members of the England Test cricket team during their match at the WACA ground in Perth

James Anderson celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of batsman Marcus Harris during the Ashes tour match against a Western Australia Chairman's XI at the WACA ground in Perth

 

Joe Root celebrates after taking the wicket of batsman Luke Towers during the Ashes tour match against the Western Australia Chairman's XI at the WACA ground in Perth

Ian Bell saves the ball from going over the rope for four runs as his team plays against a Western Australia Chairman's XI in an Ashes tour match at the WACA ground in Perth

Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen look on as their team plays against a Western Australia Chairman's XI in an Ashes tour match at the WACA ground in Perth

It has been a while but England's bowlers found Aussie life harsh and unforgiving on day one of their Ashes tour after being flogged around the WACA, writes Dean Wilson in Perth .

And the battle of the big men for a Test match spot between Chris Tremlett, Steven Finn and Boyd Rankin developed into little more than a playground scrap.

Instead of laying down a marker for the watching Alastair Cook, they were overshadowed by a flurry of boundaries as a second string state side tucked in to leave the trio with combined figures of 1-245.

Visiting Queensland batsman Chris Lynn gorged himself on a buffet of short and loose deliveries to score his 4th first class ton 19 months after his last first class match.

And alongside him the rest of the top four each passed fifty without too much discomfort in racking up 369-4 by the close.

The famous pace and bounce of yesteryear at the WACA was certainly not in evidence from ball one as James Anderson and Tremlett got things underway.

But after a handful of watchful overs, the pressure was released by Rankin who was pulled easily and regularly by opening batsman Marcus Harris.

By lunchtime the home side had made 102-0 and England's only joy came in the form of it being considerably cooler than the previous few days.

Ben Stokes of England bowls during day one of the Tour match between Western Australia XI and England at WACA in Perth 

Tough start: Ben Stokes has a bowl on the first day Getty Images

When Harris guided Anderson to the waiting hands of Ian Bell in the gully for 69, hopes of opening the floodgates were dashed by the dashing Lynn.

Rankin mixed his short balls with full tosses that were driven for four, while Finn was just too short.

And when Tremlett had the chance to make an impact with a diving one handed catch at mid on, he fluffed those lines too and dropped Lynn on 66.

Luke Towers had shown tremendous patience for his 77, but immediately after tea he fell, cutting the part time spin of Joe Root to skipper Matt Prior.

England should have got themselves on a roll from that point on, but Mitch Marsh, making his return from injury on 6, was dropped by Root at slip off Finn.

He didn't need to be invited twice, and joined Lynn in putting bat to ball in the most destructive way, bringing up his fifty from just 48 balls.

Rankin, playing in his maiden first class game for England, had a terrible start with the ball, but actually got better as the day wore on, even if there was a bit of fortune about his wicket.

Lynn cut another short ball, but it landed safely in the hands of Michael Carberry at backward point to end his fun on 104.

Marsh fell too before the close, driving hard at Ben Stokes and edging to Prior.

It was a rare moment of success for both Stokes and England who couldn't exert anywhere near the control they wanted to.

Things can only get better.