Western Australia 213 and 248 (Rogers 86, Langer 68, Jones 5-78) drew with England 327 and 130 for 5 (Key 59*)
Scorecard

Tour matches are supposed to be anonymous, forgettable affairs, but this was a thriller. After a dramatic run-chase in which they needed 135 off 20 overs, England fell just five runs short of beating Western Australia at the WACA.

They can be encouraged by a solid performance in which they showed, contrary to popular opinion, that they can bat, bowl and field - and by the fact that two of their young guns were the stars of the show on the final day. Simon Jones breathed fire to take 5 for 78 and Robert Key smashed a brave 59 not out off 48 balls in the chase. Had he had more of the strike England would surely have won.

Victory had looked likely when England's chunky opening pair got off to another scorching start. Key stood and delivered, gallivanting to 21 off his first 10 balls, and England were going well until the ninth over, when Marcus Trescothick played round a straight one from Brad Williams and was bowled for 19 (52 for 1).

Craig White was promoted up the order, but after striking a couple of fours he was run out when he played tip and run to Justin Langer in the covers. As the required run-rate escalated so did the panic: Mark Butcher gave Brad Hogg the charge and was stumped, and John Crawley top-edged a sweep next ball.

Fifty-four were needed off six overs, but Key and Alec Stewart took England within range by adding 41 off five overs. Key smacked Hogg into the Prindiville stand to bring up a 40-ball 50. Then, with 15 needed off 10 balls, Stewart (26) top-edged a pull off Matt Nicholson. Twelve were needed off the last over, and then five off the last ball, but Key slogged and missed and England were denied.

Earlier Jones, the victim of a calculated assault by Langer in the morning, ripped through the middle order to give England a chance of an unlikely win.

Western Australia resumed on 16 for 1 and soon lost Mike Hussey for 14, caught on the hook by Andy Caddick off Jones (23 for 2). But Langer and Chris Rogers seemed to have secured a draw with a third-wicket partnership of 141, only for Western Australia to subside from 164 for 2 to 248 all out.

Langer laid down a marker ahead of the Test series, thrashing 12 boundaries in a forceful 68, and he and Rogers were rattling along at nearly four an over when White struck with consecutive deliveries. Langer chased a wide one and was caught by Stewart, and Marcus North repeated the dismissal off his first ball (164 for 4).

Jones then had Rogers lbw for 86, though the ball looked to be going over the top (178 for 5), before Hogg edged him to Trescothick at first slip (203 for 6). Jones continued to concede boundaries - and to take wickets: Matthew Nicholson played late and was plumb lbw off the last ball before tea, and Ryan Campbell flicked to Crawley at midwicket for 25 shortly after the break.

It wasn't a perfect day for Jones, who went for over four an over, but only the fourth five-for of his first-class career is a pretty good way to prepare for the first Test next week. If there was any doubt that he would play in that before today, there is surely none now.

"I know I still have a lot of hard work to do," said Jones. "I let one or two go today, but I am still only operating at 85 to 90 per cent of my top pace. It can only get better."

Crawley took another catch when Williams pushed Ashley Giles to short leg, the ball after he had hoicked him for six, and the needless run-out of Jo Angel completed the innings. It left England needing to score at 6.75 runs per over from the start. In the end, it was just a bit too much to ask.

Rob Smyth is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

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