England cricket fans will be hoping a match at Halstead’s Star Stile ground will point the way to a fruitful summer of Ashes action against the Australians.

Star Stile had the privilege of hosting an Over-60s match between the old foes in the first of three Over-60s Tests this summer that will be running parallel with the main Ashes contest and it turned out to be a 71-run win for England.

Australia’s Over-60s arrived at Halstead on the back of a run of eight victories from their previous nine games and having won the toss, inserted England on what looked like a batting paradise at Halstead.

Having lost an early wicket, Chris Swadkin’s half-century and and a knock of 96 by Neil Calvert laid a platform for Engalnd’s 237 for seven.

That looked slightly under par at the halfway stage, but England’s spinners put a stranglehold on the Australian order as the tourists ended up 71 runs short of their target.

The second Over-60s Test will take place at Middleton on Sunday, before a two-day match at Sunbury the following weekend.