England know they will begin the Ashes with uncertainty surrounding three positions in their top five, a problem which has dogged them for a number of years, but on the first day of their second tour match, England's batting line-up had the perfect opportunity to put a marker down for the rest of the tour. Instead, on a blameless pitch at the Adelaide Oval against a Cricket Australia XI who possessed no more than a workmanlike attack, including two bowlers making their first-class debuts, they rather fluffed their lines.
ASHES WARM-UP, 2017-18
Rookie Fallins and batting profligacy ensures another weak day for England
Fallins, a 21 year-old leg-spinner from New South Wales who had played just two List A matches before this game, was the star for the hosts with figures of 4-71, © Getty
After being asked to bat first by the CA XI captain Tim Paine,
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