Ben's players are trying hard but success is never a given

TRESCOTHICK DEFENDS TOILING TOURISTS' EFFORT

- RORY DOLLARD

ENGLAND assistant coach Marcus Trescothick insists skipper Ben Stokes has not been let down by his players.

The scene was set for a struggling batting lineup to finally make its mark in response to Australia’s middling total of 371, but instead of cutting loose they were cut down to size.

In sweltering heat of more than 40C (104F), and on a pitch holding no demons, they could only scrape together a grosslyunderwhelming 213-8.

The entire top three was in the pavilion inside 10 overs and the rest were not far behind as Pat Cummins, Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon split the spoils in conditions that should have stretched them to the limit.