125* (107) & 40 (37): Australia Ashes squad member shines as opener against England Lions

Josh Inglis stars as opener against England Lions

Batting first, England Lions, without Ashes squad members Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell on Day 1, were dismissed for 299, with Emilio Gay the only batter to score a fifty. Jacks and Bethell, along with Matthew Potts, were released from the senior squad to join from day two of the tour match.

All three featured heavily with the ball, with Potts getting three wickets in his 18 overs, while Jacks dismissed Jhye Richardson. But that wasn’t enough to stop them from conceding a first-innings lead as the CA XI scored 341, riding on fifties from Teague Wyllie and Liam Blackford. Opening the batting, Josh Inglis didn’t seem out of place, scoring a 37-ball 40 to give his side a head start.

Bethell, Jacks and even Potts were among the runs, scoring 44, 30 and 32 respectively, a day after only two senior batters could cross 30 in England's second innings of the Perth Test. All-rounder Ben Kallaway hit a fifty to take the Lions to 273 and set CA XI 232 to win, which Inglis made light work of.

The wicketkeeper-batter slammed 15 fours and two maximums in his 125-run knock that came off 107 deliveries. He stitched a solid 129-run opening partnership with Mackenzie Harvey (58) that laid the base for an easy eight-wicket win, which took them just over four days to complete.

Among England’s Ashes squad members, Potts and Jacks bowled a combined eight overs but couldn’t pick up a wicket. England are scheduled to play a day-night warm-up game against the PM XI in Canberra, starting November 29, ahead of the pink-ball Test in Brisbane.

Also Read: Wisden Almanack editor: Australia should stick with Head as opener and 'ease Khawaja out of his Test career'

Australia's opening conundrum

Though Australia won the Perth Test handsomely, there are still question marks over their opening pair, with Usman Khawaja nursing a back spasm - and in dismal form - that prevented him from opening in both innings. Marnus Labuschagne had to be promoted in the first innings, while Travis Head famously did so in the second, but not before even Nathan Lyon had to be padded up after uncertainty surrounding the opening slot.

Jake Weatherald didn't paint a promising picture either with a duck on his debut Test innings. But 23 runs and a 75-run opening stand with Head in the second should have sealed his spot for the Brisbane Test, at the very least. Either way, if Australia are looking at backup options, Inglis hasn't done his chances any harm with his performance against England Lions.

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