England's batsmen have put the onus on themselves to get ready for next week's Ashes opener, insisting they'll be ready despite a soft lead in.
The visitors answered the call for more runs from their nation's hierarchy on Thursday as they pummelled the Cricket Australia XI's attack to finish day two of their final tour match at 3-337 with a lead of 87.
Opener Mark Stoneman got the team's first century of the tour, while out-of-form star Alastair Cook found some nice touch in his 70 and Joe Root (62no) and Dawid Malan (57no) also made half-centuries.
But against an attack with less than 150 first-class wickets between them and on a benign surface, the visitors are realistic.
Instead, they've turned to batting coach Mark Rampakash's throwdowns with a modified dog-thrower to pick up the pace on a shortened pitch.
"It's down to the individual to take that practice a step further knowing that what we're facing in these games isn't going to be the level we face next week," Stoneman said.
"We go into practice with the need to ramp it up.
"Ramps (throws) as fast as he can with side arm from a lot closer because we know we'll be facing extra pace.
"We'll be ready for the Gabba."
Issues with warm-up matches aren't unique to Australia.
The cluttered cricket calendar means less are being played, with the majority against weaker opposition.
This week's match and England's first against a Western Australia XI has clashed with the Sheffield Shield, while last week's tour match in Adelaide at least offered the chance to play against the pink ball.
When asked if the warm-up was enough just a week out from the Ashes, Stoneman was diplomatic.
"It's going to have to be," he said.
Meanwhile Cook's innings will alleviate some pressure given he'd scored just 47 runs at an average of 15.66 across two warm-up matches.
While still not as sharp as usual, he appeared to gain confidence through his innings before being caught behind trying to cut left-arm orthodox spinner Matt Short to end an opening stand of 172.
Stoneman has had no such problems since arriving in Australia, scoring half-centuries in each of his three previous innings.
He was at ease to anything full or on his legs, as he struck 13 boundaries in his first century in English colours before scooping one back to legspinner Daniel Fallins (2-71).
"I feel like my game is in good order," he said.
"It's going to be tested a hell of a lot more come next week, that's for sure."
