By Tom Harle
CAPTAIN Tim Paine hailed Cameron Bancroft’s toughness as the opener used Australia’s intra-squad tune-up to nail down a spot in the squad for next week’s first Ashes Test.
Bancroft chiselled out an unbeaten 93 on a minefield of a wicket at Southampton’s Ageas Bowl to edge out Joe Burns for the third opener berth.
The 26-year-old, caught up in last year’s sandpaper scandal, was by far the heaviest scorer in tough conditions and Paine praised his doughty approach.
“Cameron played unbelievably well,” he said. “To get nearly a hundred...