Bell (R) has made the best possible start to England's tour. Source: Getty Images
IAN Bell and Jonathan Trott made centuries but the rest of England's middle order crumbled in the three-day tour match against the WACA Chairman's XI in Perth.
At lunch on the final day, England were 6-378 in reply to the WA side's 5-451 declared, with Trott unbeaten on 108 and Steven Finn on 15.
Bell cracked 19 fours and two sixes before retiring on 115, while Trott spent almost five hours at the crease on the way to his 200-ball ton.
But England selectors will still be pondering who to pick at No.6 for the Test series after Gary Ballance (0) and Ben Stokes (4) failed badly in their auditions.
Ballance fell for a golden duck after edging paceman Ryan Duffield behind, and wicketkeeper Matt Prior (4) fell four balls later in the same fashion.
The mini collapse was complete when medium pacer James Allenby found the edge of Stokes.
Opener Michael Carberry, who scored 78 on Friday, might end up being England's answer at No.6, but Stokes, Ballance and Jonny Bairstow will be aiming to push their case if they get selected in next week's tour game against Australia A in Hobart.
Medium pacer James Allenby has been the pick of the WACA's bowlers with 2-46, while paceman Ryan Duffield has 2-96.
02 Nov, 2013
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Source: http://www.news.com.au/sport/cricket/ian-bell-jonathan-trott-score-centuries-while-englands-middle-order-struggles/story-fneba8pu-1226751932635?from=public_rss
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