Sibley, Lawrence centuries steer Lions under MCG lights

England Test opener Dom Sibley made the most of his first appearance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, striking a century for the England Lions under lights against Australia A.

Sibley's 108 helped the Lions to 3-274 at the close of the first of this four-day, first-class, day-night match.

Sibley put on 219 with Dan Lawrence, a 22-year-old from Essex playing his 70th first-class match, who struck a century of his own to finish on 125.

Both players continued the rich vein of form from last week's clash with a developmental Cricket Australia XI in Hobart where they had each posted centuries.

Lawrence fell just short of a double-century in that match, dismissed for 190, but will be eyeing an amends tomorrow.

Having won the toss and sent the Englishmen in, the Australia A pace attack struggled to make inroads on an MCG surface that was heavily tinged with green but offered little of the associated benefits.

Lions and England's incumbent Test opener Zac Crawley was the first wicket to fall, caught behind off the bowling of Jackson Bird in his fifth over.

Crawley, 22, had hit a couple of nice fours off Michael Neser, one when he dropped short and was pulled another booming straight drive, but Bird found enough movement to take the edge.

Keaton Jennings, recalled to England's Test squad for next month's series in Sri Lanka as a specialist against spin bowling, was caught at fine leg hooking Jack Wildermuth for 14.

Wildermuth added a second soon after as Sam Northeast popped a return catch to depart for just one.

That wicket, four overs before the tea break, was the last to fall for the day and Wildermuth finished with 2-44 from 13 overs.

Queenslanders Michael Neser (0-74 off 20 overs) and Mark Steketee (0-53 off 20) were probing throughout, while Bird's accurate and economical 22 overs included 10 maidens and let through 49 runs.

Mitchell Swepson, vying to be Nathan Lyon's understudy on the Bangladesh, bowled well but also without penetration and was able to create few opportunities as he finished with 0-42 off 14.

The second new ball was taken under lights and had the batsmen dancing – not least because Elton John's concert at the adjacent venue could be clearly heard – but it failed to bring any smash hits for the Aussie A bowlers.

Australia A: Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja, Nic Maddinson, Kurtis Patterson, Moises Henriques (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Jack Wildermuth, Michael Neser, Jackson Bird, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson.

England Lions: Zak Crawley, Dominic Sibley, Keaton Jennings, Sam Northeast, Dan Lawrence, James Bracey, Tom Abell, Dominic Bess, Craig Overton, Brydon Carse, Ollie Robinson.