Excited England primed for tour opener

CANBERRA, Nov 9 (Reuters) England will play their first match on tour in Australia when they face the Prime Minister's XI in a one-day game tomorrow.

The tourists have not named their team yet but are expected to field most of their top players with only two weeks to go before the first test starts in Brisbane.

Andrew Flintoff has indicated he wants to play to improve his fitness after an ankle operation while spinner Ashley Giles is also hoping for a game after being out of action for almost a year with a hip injury.

Giles is battling with Monty Panesar for the spinner's position and said he wants to get back into action as soon as possible.

''It will be almost 12 months since my last bowl in a game..it's been too long,'' he told reporters today.

''I'll be a little bit nervous -- and you always are when you go out on the pitch -- but I am looking forward to it as well.

''We all want to impress...I want to be playing in the test team but we also play as a squad and whoever gets picked, I back them.'' Opener Marcus Trescothick and middle-order batsman Alastair Cook are also hoping for some time at the crease after layoffs.

With England only scheduled to play two more three-day games before the opening test, the warm-up games have taken on added importance with competition for places hotting up.

''The guys are just so excited about being here. It's one of those things you talk about a lot. It's a pretty exciting time for us now,'' opener Andrew Strauss said.

''The more anticipation you have over a series the better the chance of you playing really well. The only thing with a relatively short buildup to that first test is that we get as much preparation in as possible.'' Several players in the Prime Minister's XI are also pushing for selection in the Australian team, ensuring the English will face a torrid workout.

South Australian paceman Shaun Tait, who made his test debut in the last Ashes series, will lead the attack with the instructions to bowl as fast as he likes.

''I'll be giving him as much freedom as he has in state cricket,'' skipper Cameron White said.

Teams: England (from) Andrew Flintoff (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell, Chris Read, Geraint Jones, Ashley Giles, Monty Panesar, Stephen Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Sajid Mahmood, Liam Plunkett, James Anderson.

PM's XI: Cameron White (captain), Travis Birt, Mark Cosgrove, Brett Dorey, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phil Jaques, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Adam Pritchard, Shaun Tait, Adam Voges, Mark Divin (12th man).

REUTERS SAM PM1503