England declares at 314-9 in tour match vs invitational side

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:43 p.m. ET

PERTH, Australia (AP) Moeen Ali and test hopeful Gary Ballance were both out early in their innings Saturday as England declared at 314-9 after being sent in to bat on the first day of a two-day tour match against a Cricket Australia XI.

Showers twice interrupted play at Richardson Park, and the Cricket Australia side was 62-1 in response at stumps, with Tom Curran taking the only wicket.

Moeen, who is captaining England for the first time, is the only player from the tourists' current test XI taking part in the practice match.

But the 30-year-old Moeen's hopes of spending quality time at the crease after falling to Nathan Lyon four times in the test series ended after just 36 balls. The allrounder batted at No. 4 but was caught behind on 24, prodding forward to Tasmania paceman Gabe Bell.

Moeen is still nursing a cut on his spinning finger and will not bowl in the tour game.

Ballance was out for 1 edging to Jackson Koop, a 22-year-old paceman from Victoria state who is yet to make his first-class debut.

England trails the five-match Ashes series 2-0 with the third test scheduled to start next Thursday at Perth's WACA ground.