Tim Bresnan's barrage in Brisbane heartens England Danger man: Tim Bresnan. England are a step closer to unleashing their first-choice pace attack against Australia after Tim Bresnan gave the visitors a much-needed morale boost with an excellent all-round return to competitive cricket on Thursday. The burly paceman could not have done more to impress England selectors a week out from the start of the second Test by starring with bat and ball for an England Performance Programme team in Brisbane. Although the opposition was no stronger than a Queensland second XI, Bresnan's 4-31 will give the England brains trust plenty to think about heading to Adelaide. His effort with the ball followed an unbeaten 57 in the first innings though his day finished on a dampener with a duck in the second innings. Although lacking the profile of senior duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad, Bresnan has been an integral member of England's Test side since playing a big part in wrecking Australia three years ago. Bresnan's return would stiffen England's attack at the Gabba - it lacked bite when Broad and Anderson were not at the crease. The 28-year-old showed how valuable he was to the England set-up in his last game - the fourth Test in Durham this year - when he scored invaluable runs and triggered a late Australian batting collapse to seal victory. "It's frustrating sometimes when you hear people putting him down, because every time we ask questions of him he produces the goods," England's pace bowling coach David Saker said in an interview with The Guardian in August. He does some great stuff for us because he's reliable - that's why he's in our group. I'm really happy for him, because he's a really likeable guy. Although Bresnan's availability for Adelaide hinges on how he recovers and whether England's medical staff feel he has the conditioning required for a Test, Australia's batsmen are bracing for the prospect of facing his reverse swing. "The reverse swing bowling will come into effect there," David Warner said this week. Jimmy Anderson is a very good reverse-swing bowler, we've seen Broady do it and Tim Bresnan do it as well. We've got to be careful with that. Should Bresnan be saved for later in the series England could stick with the same attack in Adelaide. One option likely to be considered is the blooding of all-rounder Ben Stokes, whose lively seam bowling would provide respite for the front-line quicks at a venue which has traditionally favoured batsmen. Stokes was the last of the English to leave the track after they resumed training on Thursday for a two-day game against a Cricket Australia Chairman's XI in Alice Springs. He is vying with Gary Ballance and Jonny Bairstow for a position in the top six following Jonathan Trott's exit. "Being an all-rounder helps, you've got two strings to your game but it's up to 'Cooky' [Alastair Cook] and Andy [Flower, England's coach] who they want to come in," Stokes said. The home side taking on the English at Alice Springs has lost two bowlers with solid first-class experience, Alister McDermott and Kane Richardson, but vows to give England decent competition. "There's a bit to play for, for the English," captain Michael Beer said. They've got a few guys looking to cement a spot. They've got a few guys trying to show how good they are. That will be the aim - to make it a little bit uncomfortable for the opposition. Traeger Park curator Scott Allen said the wicket was likely to offer less bounce than the Gabba.