Stoneman emerging as England's top order rock

England arrived in Australia with concerns over one of their openers, but nobody expected the identity of that batsman a week before the Ashes to be Alastair Cook rather than rookie Mark Stoneman.

Stoneman answered coach Trevor Bayliss’ call for big scores in this final warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI in Townsville by hitting England’s first century of the tour.

Speaking after his team’s previous warm-up match in Adelaide last weekend, Bayliss had said: "It’s not just about spending time in the middle, but making 100s. That’s definitely what we will need throughout this Test series."

Stoneman may only have three Test appearances against West Indies under his belt, but he is looking in fine touch ahead of the start of the Ashes in Brisbane next Thursday.

This latest knock, 111 in 159 balls, was the fourth time Stoneman has passed 50 in as many innings since arriving in Australia three weeks ago and it means he will arrive at the Gabba with confidence, even if the CA XI bowling attack was modest in comparison to what lies in wait from next week.

Cook, whose best innings on tour before this was the 32 he painstakingly made in Adelaide, looked as though he was going to join his opening partner in the century club.

But he fell for 70, caught behind cutting Matthew Short’s off-spin. What will annoy Cook more than failing to reach three figures is the fact his dismissal came via his favourite shot.

The opener cuts spinners down to third man in his sleep, but his mis-timing on this particular occasion shows he is still not in great form even if he looked far more fluent during this innings than at any point previously on this tour.

England’s concern over their former captain will be mitigated by the fact he has enough experience – 147 Tests – and runs – 11,629 – to work out a way to succeed once the Ashes begin.

However, Bayliss and the rest of the team management will be delighted with Stoneman’s return so far.

Although the 30-year-old has been plundering runs against modest attacks, he has still done better than any other England batsman on this tour ahead of the Ashes, including captain Joe Root.

In those four innings, Stoneman has 308 runs at 77. It’s a great confidence booster for a player who only made his Test debut in August.

That match, a pink-ball Test against West Indies at Edgbaston, was also the last time before this game here in Townsville Cook had passed 50.

Back then he actually scored 243, another sign that the 32-year-old is still a batsman to be feared, even if his overall Ashes record – barring his golden Australian summer of 2010-11, when he hit 766 runs – is relatively modest.

Yet Stoneman believes his opening partner is approaching somewhere close to his best form a week out from the first Test.

“He’s been moving well and hitting the ball well in the nets,” he said. “The only difference is the score to the name which can help the individual confidence. But someone who has the experience he can fall back on I’m sure is comfortable with where he is at and looking forward to getting to the Gabba.

“Once his adrenalin is pumping and he’s got Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood staring down at him, that will get him really up for it. That’s when we’ll see the best of him on this tour.”

The fact Stoneman and Cook managed to put on an opening partnership of 172 – their biggest together in any match – is also encouraging. “The longer you’re out there together the more it helps gel that partnership and it’s going to be one of the key factors when the series kicks off against the Aussie new-ball bowlers,” said Stoneman. “If we can do our job, blunt them a bit and put on some good partnerships then it’ll get us in some good positions.”

2017-18 International Fixtures:

Magellan Ashes Series

First Test Gabba, November 23-27. Buy tickets

Second Test Adelaide Oval, December 2-6 (Day-Night). Buy tickets

Third Test WACA Ground, December 14-18. Buy tickets

Fourth Test MCG, December 26-30. Buy tickets

Fifth Test SCG, January 4-8 (Pink Test). Buy tickets

Gillette ODI Series v England

First ODI MCG, January 14. Buy tickets

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Buy tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Buy tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Buy tickets

Fifth ODI Perth TBC, January 28. Join the ACF

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Buy tickets

Gillette T20 INTL Series

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Buy tickets

Second T20I – Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Buy tickets

Third T20I – Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Buy tickets

Fourth T20I – NZ v England, Wellington, February 13

Fifth T20I – NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I – NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final – TBC, Eden Park, February 21