England say they've received a wake-up call in their last warm-up match ahead of next week's Ashes opener.
After piling on 515 with the bat in the first innings, the visitors are seven wickets from victory over the youthful Cricket Australia XI and head into the last day with a lead of 144.
But that wasn't enough to impress their coaches on Friday, after losing 5-38 late in their innings against an underwhelming bowling attack and then let the hosts make their way to 3-121 at stumps.
"We had two really good days in the previous two and perhaps today we've just slipped a fraction from the standards we would have expected," assistant coach Paul Farbrace said.
"Perhaps it's a reminder and a good timely reminder that we have to be on our game all the time.
"We've got to be fully focused for every day and every session ... There were one or two soft dismissals."
Of primary concern to England will be allrounder Moeen Ali's lack of time in the middle on return from a side strain.
In his first innings of the tour and likely his last before next week's Test, Ali scored just five before he was clean bowled by offspinner Matthew Short.
More positive was his bowling. After looking rusty in the first innings and again early on Friday, he found more pronounced flight and turn late to get rid of openers Jake Carder (34) and Ryan Gibson (49) to finish at 2-34.
"He just needs some rhythm," Farbrace said.
"He's a feel cricketer and hopefully by the end of the day tomorrow, when he's bowled some more overs and he feels the ball is coming out of his hand nicely, he will be pretty comfortable going into the game."
No.5 Dawid Malan also continued his strong form to start the tour, his 109 England's second century for the game after opener Mark Stoneman's.
With just five Tests to his name, Malan had been considered the frontrunner for the position and has reinforced that by passing 50 three times in warm-up games.
He was patient on Thursday and Friday in Townsville, soaking up 210 balls as he notched his first century in English colours.
Stoneman's 111 on Thursday also marked his fourth score above 50 in as many innings on tour.
Meanwhile Alastair Cook (70) and Joe Root (89) scored half centuries but for the 10th and 11th time by the tourists, they failed to convert to triple figures.
