Nick Compton finds some form against Aussies

Discarded opening batsman Nick Compton gave England’s selectors pause to reconsider their options today.

He scored an assured unbeaten 49 before lunch against Australia in his first innings since being dropped by England.

Compton seems certain to be overlooked for the First Test after being omitted from England’s side for their warm-up match against Essex next week. But he offered a confident response to that decision for Somerset in the first of the tourists’ warm-up matches before the Ashes series.

He was as assertive as he was diffident in the two Tests against New Zealand last month, playing crisply off the front foot and finding the boundary eight times. Australia’s bowling attack, believed to be their stronger suit, took its time to settle in.

The pace quartet struggled to find their rhythm after Somerset batted on winning the toss. They went against recent precedent against touring sides by fielding a strong XI and were rewarded by a packed ground.

Australia had an early success when Marcus Tresothick, one of the heroes of the 2005 Ashes, was caught at deep backward square leg pulling a wide one from James Pattinson. Tresothick had looked as though he meant business.