Having taken the catch that ended Cricket Australia’s XI innings, a sharp one above his head at short leg, Mark Stoneman turned and sprinted from the field with the purpose of a man aiming to score England’s first century of their Ashes tour and his first for the tourists.

He fell shortly after tea in Townsville, that goal achieved but still furious – he battered a fist against his bat as he walked off having been caught and bowled by Dan Fallins for 111, while his helmet had stayed firmly on in his earlier celebration. The overall impression was that of a man ravenous for runs.

Stoneman’s lowest score in four innings on tour is 51, which is one below his highest Test score – for now. The 30-year-old has looked quite superb, and this was his best innings yet. The same could be said of Alastair Cook (although from a significantly lower base), who cruised along in his slipstream and made 70 of their opening stand of 172. There were unbeaten half-centuries late on for Joe Root and Dawid Malan after tea, quite possibly the easiest and least rushed of their first-class careers. The lead is already 87 (CA had made 250, their innings ending nine balls into day two), and the run rate almost four an over.

Of England’s XI, only Craig Overton (62) and Mason Crane (28) have played fewer matches than the combined 75 appearances of the 11 players they are facing. This was the first day the gulf truly showed. The pink ball in Adelaide proved a bit of a leveller for CA’s young attack, who never troubled England here. CA have pushed the boundaries with the standard of opposition they have provided – touring teams to England seldom face full county sides these days, but Australia’s opposition in 2015, Kent and Essex, at least were bulging with high-class batting.

Thus England have done their most intense work away from the middle, because the nets have more life, too. Mark Ramprakash has been peppering them with short-pitched bowling using slightly lighter balls from his dog-thrower, and demanding 10 press-ups every time a wicket falls. The balls come quicker, senior players say, than anything they have seen before. Stoneman, unsurprisingly, has been top of the class.

England have stayed stony-faced on the quality of the opposition. Stoneman fairly described the organising of tour matches as “above my pay grade” but said firmly: “We will be ready for the Gabba.” He acknowledged the step up that awaits, mind. “It’s going to be tested a hell of a lot more next week, that’s for sure,” he said of his technique. “There’s no doubts about that and everyone’s aware of it.”

He added of the modest quality of opposition: “It’s going to have to be [enough]. We can’t change it. We’ve got what we’ve been given and that’s where self-awareness and working on your own game is key. We’ve some pretty experienced players with a good idea of where they’re at and ideas of how to help other players. We’re being tested as much as we can with Ramps and his yellow balls. From the opportunities we’ve had, we’re happy with where we are.”

The spin of Fallins and Matt Short took the three England wickets to fall but was broadly of the standard that would have left short leg feeling unsafe if he were wearing chain mail. Poor 18-year-old Jason Sangha, who was heckled back to the pavilion after his two-ball duck on day one, was the unlucky fielder. He was pinged on the lower back by Stoneman, then by Root. What a torrid task.

Stoneman was dropped once, at gully on 41, cutting. Nick Larkin picked up a broken finger in the process that will keep him out of the rest of the match. There goes the only CA XI batsman with a first-class century.

Stoneman tucked into Harry Conway with straight drives (aerial and along the floor), pulls and nonchalant flicks, racing to 39 in as many balls. After the drop he slipped into cruise control as the ball dulled and it became clear if he was going to be out it would be because of a mistake. His century came from 140 balls with 12 fours.

Stoneman’s form helped Cook, whose scores are rising and is looking more comfortable. The old familiars crept back – the flick off the hip, the cut and even the occasional clunky cover drive, until he was caught behind cutting Short. He and Stoneman have gelled fast and his partner is not worried at all. “Once his adrenaline is pumping and he’s got Starc and Hazlewood staring down at him that will get him really up for it,” he said. “That’s when we’ll see the best of him on this tour.”

James Vince will think he missed out and appeared to think he was not out, too. He cruised to 26 then seemed to be caught at short leg, deceived by Fallins’s length. The umpire was not certain and, with Vince unmoved, conferred with his partner at square leg. The finger went up. The decision appeared correct and certainly Stoneman seemed to agree. After starting with 82, Vince’s last three innings have been 33, 29 and 26, which is all fretfully familiar.