The new ball swung and Michael Carberry

Prior was less frantic than during his two brief innings at the Gabba and struck a couple of crisp boundaries but failed to build the innings he needed after nicking Mackin to the keeper.The new ball swung and Michael Carberry clipped a catch to midwicket in the seventh over. Joe Root was again out playing an attacking square drive, caught in the gully for 22, and when Prior fell England were 62 for three and facing a tough time on a slow pitch and slower outfield.As Ballance and Stokes batted together for 17 overs it felt as if the one who blinked first would miss out on a Test debut next week. Ballance was patient, and solid in defence playing largely off the back foot. Stokes was more positive, twice striking the off-spinner Ashton Turner down the ground, but on a sluggish outfield scoring quickly was always hard.Ballance was brought up in rural Zimbabwe on his parents tobacco farm in a harsh environment which possibly enabled him to adapt to batting under the red hot Outback sun.By positioning him at three the selectors hinted he was their first choice to play in Adelaide next week and he batted a little like Trott, in terms of his patience and ability to bat at his own pace rather than try to match Stokes for strokemaking.

Stokes will count himself unlucky. He fell playing positively trying to flick medium pacer Alex Keath to the on side but was caught smartly at short leg by Marcus Harris who stuck out a hand instinctively.Ballance brought up his fifty off 124 balls with his fifth boundary but England again threw away a wicket when he was run out by James Muirhead for 55. Ballance hit to mid off and stated for the run only to hesitate mid-pitch. He sacrificed himself to allow Bell to continue.Bell became Mackin's second wicket when he edged behind but Graeme Swann and Bairstow accelerated the innings, setting up the declaration to give England's bowlers 10 overs before the close which were negotiated without too much alarm.Do not tell us that we have been in these situations before, such as when we lost to the Indian spinners in Ahmedabad last winter or got out of jail against New Zealand in Dunedin with a draw. New Zealand's seamers were very ordinary and so, too, were India's spinners.This feels different - the opposition has more ammunition than us. A genuine fast bowler on flat pitches is an ace that trumps any card we can play. Mitchell Johnson can hurt us, he can intimidate players and put the wind up tailenders.