article: This was as far away from the Ashes cauldron as it is possible to be but a quiet day of run scoring against sub-standard opposition in picturesque Basseterre at the start of England’s Caribbean tour meant everything to Jonathan Trott. It must have seemed to Trott that he would never again bat for England when he suffered that brutal dismantling at the hands of Mitchell Johnson during England’s ill-fated last Ashes tour almost 18 months ago. Yet here he was, recovered from the mental condition that forced his departure from Australia and now certain of a new role opening the batting in the first Test in Antigua next week. It is quite a comeback. Jonathan Trott and Alastair Cook combine impressively as England produce dominant display . Cook plays behind square as wicketkeeper Jaison Peters  looks on in Basseterre, St Kitts . If Trott’s return with 72 was the most pleasing aspect of a dominant day for England then an unbeaten 95 for captain Alastair Cook was almost as important. The pair came together here at the top of the order yesterday for the first time since a brief experiment in Bangladesh five years ago in what was a low-key return to work after the embarrassment of England’s first round World Cup exit. Neither Cook nor Trott could be blamed for that nor for the careful way they went about their batting in this two-day practice match against a St Kitts Invitational XI that would struggle to defeat a decent English club side. Stuart Broad bowls in the Carribean sun as England take on a St Kitts and Nevis Invitational XI . Cook and teammate Jonathan Trott talk in between overs during the St Kitts and Nevis Invitational XI game . Such was the scale of England’s World Cup embarrassment that they find themselves very much on trial again now even though they ended last year’s Test summer with three successive wins against India. The failure of Sam Robson to convince alongside Cook has opened the door for the return of Trott ahead of Adam Lyth and he made the most of his chance in a stand of 158 with his captain made in the most comfortable of circumstances. England had barely broken sweat in bowling St Kitts out for 59, another returnee in Ben Stokes taking three wickets in five balls, before Cook and Trott overwhelmed a local side who had bizarrely warmed up in Inter Milan shirts. Perhaps they are better at football than cricket because there was little to concern two players with much to prove for different reasons in Cook and Trott. The captain is back after being demoted from one-day office and looked the more fluent, despatching anything short and moving on to his 50 off 95 balls to follow the three half-centuries he has scored in his last four Test innings. Trott was the only casualty of the day for England and he had to be almost dragged from the crease when he was eventually caught at short leg. ‘It’s almost like he’s never been away,’ said Stokes. ‘It was really good to see the way he just settled back to how he has been over the last few years.’ Quite how much the England attack got out of their morning work-out was questionable because this was a shockingly indisciplined batting display from a St Kitts side who included just seven players with first-class experience. Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad eased their way back after their own humbling World Cups but the most penetrative bowling came from Stokes, who swung the ball consistently on a typically slow and flat Warner Park pitch. England batsmen Cook plays to the leg side during the West Indies Tour match against St Kitts and Nevis XI . Trott plays to the offside to reach his fifty during the St Kitts and Nevis Invitational XI England tour match . England plan to use Stokes, who was left out of the World Cup after a dreadful run, as their all-rounder in this series, batting at six at least until the return of Moeen Ali which they hope will come ahead of the second Test. Stokes and Chris Jordan are clearly ahead of Liam Plunkett and the newcomer Mark Wood in the pecking order while Adil Rashid and James Tredwell appear to be competing for the solitary spinner’s place next week. Both took a wicket towards the end of the St Kitts innings while Tredwell added a spectacular one-handed slip catch. Cook plays to the offside as wicketkeeper Jaison Peters of St Kitts and Nevis Invitational XI looks on . Cook plays to mid off as wicketkeeper Peters looks on during the England tour match .
highlights: Jonathan Trott hit an impressive 72 on England return in the Carribean .
  England captain Alastair Cook hit an unbeaten 95 on a dominant day .
  Duo played at top order for first time since brief experiment five years ago .
  England barely broke sweat as they bowled a St Kitts XI all out for 59 .
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