England beat Australia A in final warm-up

Skipper Andrew Strauss smashed a four through midwicket to give England a 10-wicket victory over Australia A in their final warm-up match for the Ashes in Hobart on Saturday.

The tourists again had plenty to be cheerful about in the last of their three matches in Australia before their defence of the Ashes begins on Thursday in Brisbane.

Batsman Ian Bell hit 192 and England's back-up bowlers Chris Tremlett and Tim Bresnan grabbed seven and six wickets respectively.

England's likely bowling attack for the first Test, Stuart Broad, Steve Finn, Graeme Swann and James Anderson, are already in Queensland acclimatising.

England, whose preparations for the 2006-07 tour were widely criticised, beat Western Australia by six wickets in Perth and drew with South Australia in their previous two matches.