Moeen makes strides, while Curran impresses

The second day of England's tour match was a positive one for the out-of-form Moeen Ali and the uncapped Tom Curran.

Moeen Ali made a quick-fire 47 but, more importantly, seemed to have regained some of the lost fluency

Moeen Ali showed some signs of form as England drew its tour match with Cricket Australia XI, while Tom Curran impressed again.

Runs have been difficult to come by for Moeen so far on this Ashes tour. He scored just 78 across two innings in the first Test defeat in Brisbane and followed up with scores of 25 and 2 in the loss in Adelaide.

Captaining the side against CA XI, Moeen was dismissed for just 24 in the first innings of the two-day match, as England declared on 314-9 in Perth.

However, he found some fluency in the second innings on Sunday, scoring 47 off 41 balls with six fours and two sixes before falling to Jackson Koop. Gary Ballance, meanwhile, was unbeaten on 45 as England declared on 130-3 after the CA XI had done so on 151-4, the host having started day two on 62-1.

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But, after being dismissed for just one in the first innings, it remains to be seen whether Ballance has done enough to put himself in contention to play the third Test at the WACA - with James Vince's position in the team seemingly vulnerable after scores of two and 15 in Adelaide.

Needing 294 to win, the CA XI reached 269-8 before play was brought to a close. Tom Curran took 3-28 in the second innings after recording figures of 2-28 in the first, catching the eye with the ball having scored 77 not out with the bat on day one.

Curran's hopes of playing at the WACA seem slim, but a Test debut at the MCG or the SCG could be in the offing should the Ashes slip away in the third Test. Fast bowler Mark Wood took two wickets in the CA XI's first innings but posted figures of 0-37 in the second.