Summary All-rounder Moeen Ali returns after missing the opening two tour games with a side strain.
TOWNSVILLE (AFP) – The Cricket Australia XI won the toss and chose to bat on the opening day of the four-day Ashes tour match against England in Townsville in north Queensland on Wednesday.
It is the tourists’ final warm-up game ahead of the opening Test against Australia, starting in Brisbane on November 23.
All-rounder Moeen Ali returns after missing the opening two tour games with a side strain.
Senior paceman James Anderson will miss the Townsville match due to illness, but there’s no concern over his availability for the Gabba Test.
Teams
England: Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root (capt), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Craig Overton, Stuart Broad, Mason Crane.
Cricket Australia XI: Jake Carder, Nick Larkin, Ryan Gibson, Will Pucovski, Jason Sangha, Matt Short (capt), Harry Nielsen, Simon Milenko, Gurinder Sandhu, Daniel Fallins, Harry Conway.
Umpires: Nathan Johnstone (AUS) and Paul Wilson (AUS)
Match Referee: Bob Parry (AUS)
