Bethell fails to push Test case as Lions beat PM XI

Canberra’s Manuka Oval is hosting a tour match on day two of the two.

Prime Minister’s XI 308-8d: Kellaway 82, McSweeney 63, Peake 54, Potts 2-40

England Lions 309-2: James Rew 92*, Haines 77, Tribe 53*

England Lions won by eight wickets.

Jacob Bethell failed to assert his place in England’s Test squad after falling cheaply in the England Lions’ eight-wicket victory over a Prime Minister’s side.

One of three players who has been released for the two-day pink-ball warm-up game in Canberra is Bethell, 22, who is the spare batter in England’s squad.

Before being tamely caught behind left-armer Campbell Thompson, he made just 16 moves.

The Lions needed 309 to win at Manuka Oval, and it was agreed on day two to make the game a one-innings affair.

Tom Haines (77) and Emilio Gay (56) made it 34-0 before the latter retired hurt after experiencing a hamstring injury while turning for a run.

Bethell struck two fours before falling at three.

Captain Haines left the Lions 1722-2 shortly after, but Somerset’s James Rew (92 not out) and Glamorgan’s Asa Tribe (53 not out) put on a 137-run effort to move them over the line in the final session.

On the opening day, Potts claimed 2-40 and Tongue went wicketless, making the PM XI score 308-8.

“All of the young people gave a fantastic performance.” We haven’t played a lot of pink-ball cricket together, but our approach did not reflect that, Haines said.

It’s questionable whether England’s Test batters would have benefited significantly from being here despite the fact that the upcoming second Test will also be a pink-ball match.

The Gabba game had a low-key atmosphere, was played in a soft setting, and had less of the feverish intensity expected.

Apart from Peter Siddle, a 41-year-old former Australian seamer, the PM XI’s attack was prepared but inexperienced. Six first-class wickets were taken between the other four pace bowlers on display.

Brisbane’s weather will also be completely different. When the game came to an end, Tim Paine, the home team’s coach, was draped in a blanket as he watched.

On the first day, the tongue did a good job. In his 16 overs, he bowled with control and good pace, and despite going wicketless, he only managed two catches dropped.

However, Bethell was unable to utilize a strong batting pitch. A bowler who is yet to make his first-class debut suffered a tame dismissal.

Bethell started well despite Nathan McSweeney’s and Siddle’s off-spin. Through the offside, he cut two boundaries off Siddle, one of which led to a deep third and the other to a backward point.

The tall left-arm paceman Campbell Thompson intercepted a ball in the channel outside of off-stump and feathered a low catch past wicketkeeper Joel Curtis.