The world’s top two Test cricket batsmen faced a setback in their pre-Ashes preparations during a high-scoring day at Lilac Hill.

In what was likely their sole opportunity to gain some momentum before the first Test against Australia next week, Yorkshire teammates Joe Root and Harry Brook—ranked first and second in the ICC batting standings—were dismissed for scores in the single digits.

Root, who arrived amid discussions about the absence of an Ashes century on his impressive career resume, continued his struggles. Following a lackluster limited-overs series in New Zealand two weeks prior, where he accumulated only 29 runs over three matches, he was unable to redeem himself against the England Lions.

Clearly lacking time at the crease, Root’s early dismissal for a mere one run from 12 balls was far from ideal. This came as the England innings surpassed the Lions’ total of 375 during the evening session, leaving Root with unfinished business, having experienced three previous Test tours of Australia.

Given the minimal preparation for the upcoming five-Test series, Brook’s dismissal was even more concerning.

Joe Root failed in England’s Ashes warm-up as he was out for just one against the Lions

Harry Brook also flunked his chance to pick up some form amid an extremely chaotic innings

After narrowly escaping a risky attempt to scoop a delivery from former county teammate Matthew Fisher, which fell short of being caught, he played a shot that did little to dispel Australian banter about the casual nature of England’s warm-up game.

With just two to his name, England vice-captain Brook ran down the pitch in Nathan Gilchrist’s first over and under-edged into off-stump.

There is no doubting Brook’s quality as an international player, given his average of 57.55 and career record of 10 Test hundreds.

But dismissals like the one that reduced England to 198 for four draw attention to his poor record here. Although he is yet to play Test or one-day international cricket, he averages just 9.85 in nine Twenty20 internationals on Australian soil and managed just 6.28 in seven innings for Hobart Hurricanes prior to becoming an international.

England’s opening pair of Crawley and Duckett made the most of the morning session when the pitch was at its quickest, with the latter threading a succession of boundaries through the cordon, including one that found its way between first and second slip at catchable height off Potts.

They had put on 140 by lunch and had taken their stand to 182 when Potts – luckless in his new-ball burst of 5-0-40-0 – claimed the first of three wickets, Duckett caught behind following a switch of ends.

‘I always enjoy batting with Ducky, he looked in great touch, and hopefully we will do it a bit over the next couple of months,’ Crawley said.

Having played both grade cricket in Western Australia and represented Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League, Crawley understands the contrasting conditions between the Midland Guildford club ground and next week’s Test venue better than most.

There was better news elsewhere as Ollie Pope (above) scored a 100 to nail down his place

Ben Stokes showed some ruthless batting and passed 50, as did Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett

Former Australia coach Darren Lehmann also aimed a dig at England for being predictable

‘We are just trying to get some rhythm and spend time in the middle,’ he continued.

‘I’ve played at the Optus and it’s got a bit of pace and bounce, but you can never judge, we are a week away and we will see.’

Crawley departed moments later when Fisher pinged the flap of his front pad.

But after the Lions were gifted two further wickets, Pope nailed down the No 3 spot for the start of the Ashes, cashing in as a surface baked by the sun slowed up and the ball softened.

With England captain Stokes practising what he preached with his ‘balls to the wall’ pledge at the other end, punishing anything too short or too full, taking particular toll on the tour’s senior spinner Shoaib Bashir by launching a couple of monstrous straight sixes, England began scoring at their customary clip again.

Mark Wood appeared in good spirits, smiling as he watched on from the boundary ahead of a scan that will determine whether he has strained his hamstring, ruling him out of bowling on the third day and therefore in next week’s first Test.

The senior side were in credit by the time that Stokes sliced to point off Jacks – the first of a procession of late wickets that included three for 14 from the slow left-arm of Jacob Bethell.

Meanwhile, England’s Ashes preparations continued in among the phoney-war, with Darren Lehmann becoming the latest Australian to aim a dig at Stokes’ side on Wednesday.

After they announced their team for the warm-up match against the Lions, former Australia coach Lehmann accused them of being predictable.

‘No spinner (tick), bowl first (tick) – Never bat first, this is how they will set up. Over rates, who cares,’ he posted on X.