MOEEN Ali made an impressive start to his England Performance Programme tour of Australia, hitting 83 on day one of the game with a Queensland XI in Brisbane.

The Worcestershire batsman, who will be keen to press his claims for a place in the full Ashes squad after the departure of Jonathan Trott from the tour with a stress-related illness, batted at five for the EPP side.

The England second string piled 376-9 on the opening day of the match at Allan Border Field, with Middlesex’s Australia-born opener Sam Robson retiring after making 102.

All-rounder Tim Bresnan hit an unbeaten 57 as he steps up his return to full fitness, while big-hitting Lancashire gloveman Jos Buttler weighed in with 54.