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CHIEF protagonist Stuart Broad has conceded that timid England were so worried about a juicy SCG pitch they decided to bowl against a second-string side yesterday.
With conditions likely to be even livelier at the Gabba for the first Test next week, England ignored the chance to try and tough out some early moment against an unknown attack.
And the ploy appears to have backfired, with an invitational XI made up largely of NSW second XI players reaching 5-271 at stumps on the first day of the four-day match.
England complained so strongly about a lack of competition that Cricket Australia capitulated, dragging a number of players from other states into the side.
Ryan Carters hits a cut shot with Ian Bell fielding in close in the tour match between England and an Invitational XI at the SCG. Source: AFP
However, it was NSW second wicket-keeper Peter Nevill (76 not out) and the state's number three gloveman, Ryan Carters (94 not out), who embarrassed England by batting for almost four hours for an unbroken partnership of 178.
Broad was the pick of the England bowlers, claiming three early wickets to finish with 3-36 from 20 overs.
However, Steven Finn and Boyd Rankin played themselves out of Test contention by bowling too consistently short.
It would have been understandable if England had fielded first to ensure their bowlers had more of a workout after only having a few hours of action in Hobart, where more than two days were washed out against Australia A last week.
However, Broad admitted England had been influenced by the condition of the SCG pitch.
Boyd Rankin failed to take a wicket for England on day one of the tour match against an Invitational XI. Source: Getty Images
"There was a little bit of a green tinge in the wicket and it did seam around for the first couple of hours, there is no doubt about that. I think it was quite a good time to bowl," Broad said.
"It was probably the best time to bowl on this wicket in the four days.
"Judging what Swannie (spinner Graeme Swann) got out of the wicket, it won't turn.
"The plan was to make early inroads, to try and get through them and then bat tonight, but they fought back fantastically well."
It was a miracle that curator Tom Parker and his ground staff were able to roll out a wicket of such high standard given the days of pouring rain leading into this match.
However, the outfield was still sandy after being top-dressed at the end of the football season, which Broad found tough.
"It was one of the hardest conditions I've bowled in on the calves and hamstrings for a long time with the sand-based outfield," he said.
"It was really hard to get grip and every stride took quite a bit out of the legs."
England's embarrassment at demanding more competition should be matched by CA's for attempting to provide it.
All the players who have been added to and subtracted from what was originally a NSW second XI could have turned it into a rugby XV or even AFL XVIII.
In the end only three interstate batsmen played and two of them, Aaron Finch (4) and Callum Ferguson (8), must have wondered why they bothered.
Ed Cowan (51) batted well in the difficult pre-lunch conditions but once again failed to press on.
Invitational XI 1st Innings
Aaron Finch c Bairstow b Broad 4 (7)
Ed Cowan c Trott b Finn 51 (93)
Callum Ferguson lbw b Broad 8 (30)
Kurtis Patterson c Cook b Finn 5 (11)
Ben Rohrer c Carberry b Broad 19 (48)
Ryan Carters not out 94 (199)
Peter Nevill not out 76 (157)
Sundries: (7lb, 2w, 5nb) 14
Total: Five wickets for 271
Fall: 4 (Finch), 27 (Ferguson), 37 (Patterson), 90 (Rohrer), 93 (Cowan).
Bowling: Stuart Broad 20-7-36-3 (2nb), Boyd Rankin 20-4-60-0 (1w), Steven Finn 22-4-79-2 (1w 3nb), Graeme Swann 22-5-66-0, Jonathon Trott 5-1-22-0, Joe Root 1-0-1-0.
Overs: 90.
Umpires: Simon Fry, Mick Martell.
Match Referee: Peter Marshall.
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