Alastair Cook back in form at Townsville

Mark Stoneman scored the first century of the Ashes tour as Alastair Cook regained form in the match against a Cricket Australia XI yesterday

Mark Stoneman scored the first century of the Ashes tour as Alastair Cook regained form in the match against a Cricket Australia XI yesterday. The in-form Surrey left-hander cracked 111 off 159 balls and shared in a 172-run opening stand with former skipper Cook as the tourists clubbed their way to 337 for three at the close on Day Two of the four-day game.

Alastair Cook. Pic/AFP

In the final warm-up game ahead of next week's Ashes Test series opener against Australia in Brisbane, Cook finally found some batting form with 70 off 127 balls after a run of low scores.  At stumps, captain Joe Root was unbeaten on 62 with Dawid Malan on 57 to cap a pleasing day for the tourists against a lightweight CA XI bowling attack.

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