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David Warner and Marcus Harris have both fallen cheaply on day one of Australia's intra-squad clash in Southampton.
Australia's new-look opening partnership has endured a rocky start in Southampton, where David Warner and Marcus Harris both fell cheaply as teammates delivered a sobering reminder of the dangers awaiting in the Ashes.
The pitch used for the intra-squad clash, in which Australia's 24 Ashes contenders are squaring off in a final audition for spots in the squad that will be named on Friday, prompted Tim Paine to bowl first.
In bowler-friendly conditions, similar to that predicted for the first Ashes Test that begins at Edgbaston on August 1, the team captained by Travis Head collapsed to 4-29 before reaching 5-64 at lunch on day one of the four-day clash.
Marnus Labuschagne was 41 not out at the meal break, the only batsman in the top six to reach double figures.
Labuschagne, who selectors are now regarding as a legspinning allrounder, did his hopes of Ashes selection no harm.
Michael Neser, who claimed the scalps of both openers, and James Pattinson, who went wicket-less but extracted rearing bounce with the new ball, ensured it was a nightmarish start to the tour for both Warner and Harris.
Head and Kurtis Patterson were both undone by Jackson Bird while Will Pucovski was out edging to Chris Tremain.
Warner was out for four in the third over, when Matthew Wade held a sharp low catch at mid-off.
Harris was trapped lbw for six in the seventh over.
Harris, having made his Test debut at Adelaide Oval during the previous home summer, is fully expected to open alongside Warner in the series opener against England.
But a big score from incumbent opener Joe Burns, who scored a ton in his previous Test, and Cameron Bancroft, who has returned to the national setup for the first time since the Cape Town cheating scandal, would give selectors plenty to think about.
Burns and Bancroft, opening for the Paine-led XI, will have an ideal opportunity to make their case when they confront an attack featuring Test pacemen Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood.
