Yahoo Sport 
England at risk of being underprepared for Ashes series as bad weather continues to hamper preparations
England’s Ashes preparation took another hit when rain washed out the second day of their opening intra-squad warm-up match in Brisbane.
Just 29 overs were possible on day one of the 12-a-side, three-day match at Redlands CC, with openers Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed reaching 98 without loss against England Lions.
Further downpours saw the second day called off before England even made it to the ground.
Problematically, more heavy rain is expected in the next week as Queensland – the Sunshine State – is battered by the La Nina weather system currently affecting Australia.
That leaves England – and Australia – at risk of being critically underprepared for the series, which starts two weeks on Wednesday at the Gabba.
A lack of match practice is especially problematic for the likes of Ben Stokes and Stuart Broad, who have not played since midsummer due to injury.
England have a four-day match scheduled next week, by which point they will have been joined by the five players still in quarantine after the T20 World Cup.
They will desperately hope that the weather improves.
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