Test hopefuls fail to shine as England XI crash to defeat

Much-hyped England spinner Monty Panesar enjoyed a day of mixed fortunes at the Lilac Hill festival match yesterday.

With widespread calls for his inclusion in England's team for the third Ashes Test, starting on Thursday at the WACA Ground, in Perth, Panesar had a timely chance to showcase his talents in the limited-overs match.

The Cricket Australia Chairman's XI beat the England and Wales Cricket Board Chairman's XI by seven wickets, making 260 in 40.1 overs for the loss of just three wickets, in reply to the English team's 259 for eight, but most of the interest centred on the performance of England's Test hopefuls, and Panesar in particular.

Panesar was expensive at times in the face of a batting onslaught by the home side but he also claimed two wickets.

Brought on in the 12th over, Panesar struck immediately, bowling Chris Rogers for 32 with his second ball.

It was a fine start for Panesar but he was about to be fully tested by the aggressive batting of Luke Ronchi, who smashed 89 in just 49 balls, with three sixes and 15 fours, for the home side.

On the smallish ground, Panesar's second and third overs went for 16 and 11 runs respectively, and included three sixes.

Ronchi lofted the finger spinner for another six in his fourth over, but Panesar had the last laugh when he slipped in a quicker ball and had the batsman neatly stumped by wicketkeeper Chris Read, another Test aspirant.

Panesar eventually claimed 2-63 from 10 overs.

Former Test star Alec Stewart, who captained the England and Wales side, added his voice to the chorus of calls for Panesar's promotion for the Perth Test.

"You have to take 20 wickets," he said. "He is not the be all and end all but he is a special bowler."

There was little joy for fast bowlers Sajid Mahmood and Liam Plunkett, the pair vying to replace the struggling James Anderson in the Test side.

Neither claimed a wicket and the latter had to leave the field with a hand injury.

Read missed a golden chance to stake his claim for a Test recall when he failed to score.

Overlooked for the first two Tests, Read had an ideal opportunity to spend some valuable time in the middle and increase the pressure on incumbent keeper Geraint Jones, who did not fire with the bat in the opening two Ashes Tests.

However, Read lasted just five balls in his first innings of the tour before being dismissed for a duck.