Ashes 2017: England heading for victory over Cricket Australia XI but lower order collapse worries Joe Root again

The tourists lost 5 for 38 either side of lunch after building big lead

Joe Root will be worried about his side dropping off (Getty)

England will head to Brisbane for next week’s first Ashes Test with optimism despite another collapse against the Cricket Australia XI on the third day of this final warm-up match.

The tourists look all but certain to win this contest on the final day in Townsville after reducing their opponents to 120 for three by the close. That is still a deficit of 144 after Joe Root’s team piled up 515 in reply to the CA XI’s first-innings 250.

A century by Dawid Malan and 83 by Root followed up Mark Stoneman’s 111 on day two to move England into a dominant position of 419 for four.

But a collapse of 5 for 38 either side of lunch reduced them to 457 for nine early in the afternoon session before a 58-run last-wicket partnership between Chris Woakes, eventually the last man out for 36, and Mason Crane took their team’s total above 500.

England have made a habit of losing wickets in quick succession over the past 18 months. And despite the relative weakness of the opposition, they have now collapsed three times against the CA XI after losing five for 22 and seven for 45 in each innings of their previous warm-up match in Adelaide last week.

Moeen Ali, playing his first match of the tour after recovering from a side strain, had a mixed day. The all-rounder’s two wickets in the final session moved England closer to victory, with leg-spinner Mason Crane also chipping in before the close.

But he was dismissed for just five in what will be his only innings before the Ashes, meaning he will start the first Test against Australia in Brisbane on Thursday having faced just 22 balls.

There will be some concern over the batting of Craig Overton, too, after the Somerset seamer – who would be England’s No9 if selected at the Gabba – was dismissed for his third successive duck following his pair in Adelaide.

Home captain Matt Short found himself on a hat-trick when his average off-spin bowled Moeen and had Overton caught at short leg in consecutive deliveries.

Overton had been locked in to be England’s fourth seamer for the first Test but given his batting woes, the 23-year-old could be challenged by a fit-again Jake Ball.

Dawid Malan's century put England in a commanding position (Getty)

The Nottinghamshire seamer showed he has recovered from the ankle injury he sustained during the Adelaide game when he came on as a replacement fielder during the final session here for Alastair Cook, who is suffering from a stomach bug.

James Anderson, rested for this match, also had a similar problem earlier in the week but is now fine.

Root had earlier been the first wicket of the day to fall when he was caught down the legside off Simon Milenko.

England’s captain will be annoyed he did not join Malan, who had started the day on 57, in getting a hundred, especially as he has failed to convert 32 of his Test half-centuries.

But it is a minor problem for the Yorkshireman, who will undoubtedly find greater concentration and focus when the Ashes begin next week.

Jonny Bairstow also fell cheaply, shovelling a full toss from leg-spinner Dan Fallins to mid-on. But England’s wicketkeeper, like Root, will be expected to raise his game once the Ashes begin.