England bowling coach Bob Cottam talks to Jonathon Agnew

The home side closed on 170 for one in their second innings, after they bowled the tourists out for 321 earlier in the day.

Matt Nicholson took seven for 77, as most of the tourist's batsmen had difficulty, although Nasser Hussain made 118 and Mark Ramprakash 81.

The tourists' fielding then let them down again as Western Australia built a lead of 183 with nine second innings wickets standing.

Hussain: Stand in captain's innings

England's day had begun brightly with captain Alec Stewart coming through unscathed from his first net after missing this fixture with a stiff back.

Resuming on 191 for two, Nasser Hussain, on 93 overnight, completed his century but soon became the first of Nicholson's day three victims.

England's last six wickets then fell for 91 runs.

The innings was closed on 321 for nine, with Mark Butcher unable to return after his injury on day two at the hands of Nicholson.

The Surrey left-hander needed 10 stitches to a wound above his right eye.

Ramprakash: Four hours for 81

Only Ramprakash, and an unbeaten 25 by Alan Mullally provided resistance to Western Australia's fast bowling on a typically hard and pacy Perth wicket.

But if the batting was disappointing, the bowling and fielding display will have dismayed the England management.

Western Australia opener Ryan Campbell hammered an unbeaten 117 off just 121 balls against England's likely Test attack.

Dropped catch

Having made six mistakes in the field to let Western Australia reach a declared total of 334 for eight in the first innings, a similar display was to follow.

Campbell had reached only nine when he was dropped by substitute fielder Michael Atherton, covering for the absent Butcher and now receovered from the injury which prevented him starting this game.

That mistake proved costly, with Campbell forging a 90-run opening stand with Mike Hussey and racing to his half-century off just 40 deliveries.

Hussey fell when Alan Mullally bowled him round his legs for 27.

But Campbell continued his assault and by the close he had taken his boundary tally to 17, while Australian Test player Justin Langer gave solid support with an unbeaten 23.

Bob Cottam, England's specialist bowling coach, admitted: "If you ask any of the bowlers they would all say they could bowl better. But they are professional cricketers and they know what sort of standards they are expected to reach.

"This is why we have build-up games and preparation time, so we can iron out these difficulties and be ready for the first Test."

Close of play scorecards

Western Australia 2nd Innings

R J Campbell not out 117
M E Hussey b Mullally 27
J L Langer not out 23

Extras 3

Total (for 1 wkt, 39 overs) 170

Fall: 90-1

To Bat: S M Katich, S R Cary, M G Dighton, K M Harvey, S Jurgensen, M Nicholson, B J Oldroyd, C Rogers.

Bowling:

Gough 8-1-42-0, Cork 6-1-27-0, Croft 12-3-38-0, Mullally 8-1-29-1, Fraser 3-0-22-0, Ramprakash 2-0-10-0

England 1st innings:

Butcher retired hurt 0
Crawley b Carey 7
Thorpe c Cary b Nicholson 42
Hussain (capt) c Dighton b Nicholson 118
Ramprakash c Campbell b Nicholson 81
Cork c Dighton b Nicholson 5
Hegg c Jurgensen b Nicholson 10
Croft b Nicholson 4
Gough b Nicholson 11
Mullally not out 25
Fraser c Langer b Oldroyd 0

Extras 18

Total (117.3 overs) 321

Fall: 1-16 2-92 3-230 4-240 5-276 6-282 7-283 8-310 9-321

Bowling

Nicholson 36-15-77-7, Cary 26-6-55-1, Jurgensen 21-3-62-0, Harvey 10-1-37-0, Oldroyd 22.3-4-70-1, Katich 2-0-11-0

Western Australia 1st innings:

Hussey c Thorpe b Mullally 3
Campbell (wkt) lbw b Gough 1
Langer (capt) c & b Gough 85
Katich lbw 106
Dighton c Cork b Mullally 23
Rogers c Hegg b Ramprakash 14
Harvey lbw Mullally 7
Nicholson not out 58
Oldroyd c Hussain b Gough 9
Jurgensen not out 13
Cary did not bat

Extras 15

Total (8 wkts dec, 110.5 overs) 334

Fall: 4-1 4-2 149-3 193-4 230-5 249-6 266-7 292-8

Bowling

Mullally 25-8-55-3, Gough 27.5-74-4, Cork 16-0-63-0, Fraser 25-6-79-0, Croft 15-4-47-0, Ramprakash 2-0-4-1