Matt Prior backs Gary Ballance after golden duck

Matt Prior has leapt to the defence of batsmen Gary Ballance after he failed to make an impression in England's warm-up match against Western Australia in Perth.

The Yorkshire left-hander – who was selected after his performances in the County Championship this year – fell first ball as the tourists collapsed on day three, but Prior played down his dismissal.

He told The Guardian: "A guy scores a huge amount of runs, turns up over here all excited first knock and gets a duck. It's happened to a few of us in the past.

"He's hitting the ball brilliantly in the nets, he looks the part, and he'll get another opportunity I'm sure to get a score."

The game ended in a draw after England reduced the hosts to 168-5 in their second innings, with Steven Finn taking two wickets in his ninth over as he looks to find form ahead of the first Test in Brisbane.