The Ashes: England Cruise To 10-Wicket Victory Over Australia A

Three matches into the tour of Australia, England remain unbeaten in all their warm-up matches, winning two and drawing one after a 10-wicket thumping of Australia A in Hobart.

Australia A featured well-known names such as Cameron White, Phil Hughes, Callum Ferguson and Clint McKay.

However, batting first they slipped to 66-5 against the second-string England bowling attack, before Steven Smith (59) and Steve O'Keefe (66) dragged the hosts to 230 all out.

Chris Tremlett was the pick of the bowlers (4-54) but Ajmal Shahzad (3-57), Tim Bresnan (2-65) and Paul Collingwood (1-2) all got in on the act.  

England dispelled all worries over their batting as they posted a mammoth 523. Ian Bell made 192, while Collingwood (89) and Alastair Cook (60) gave themselves a boost ahead of the First Test.

Australia A battled hard second time around, as White (111) and Hughes (81) tried in vain to hold up the England victory.

Bresnan impressed again with the ball taking (4-86), as did Tremlett (3-67) and Monty Panesar (3-63).

England knocked off the nine runs they needed to win with no alarms to claim a second warm-up win.

All looks rosy so far for the tourists ahead of the First Test Match in Brisbane starting Wednesday, but now the practice matches are out of the way. What happens from now on will be what this England touring side are judged on and remembered for. 

Australia have trimmed their squad with the surprise omission of Nathan Hauritz. In his place is the uncapped at Test Match level Xavier Docherty. Michael Hussey and Marcus North keep their places despite recent poor scores.    

The Aussies have lost their invincible aura. With some people putting England as favourites, this should be a close and entertaining Ashes series.