Aspiring Test paceman Shaun Tait gave Australia what he hopes will be a blueprint for regaining the Ashes this summer by troubling England with speed and short stuff.

The South Australian quick took 3-21 for the Prime Minister's XI at Canberra's Manuka Oval to put the tourists on the defensive and boost his own chances for gaining selection in the first Test in Brisbane, which starts November 23.

Tait displayed the full extent of his repertoire during his eight overs to remove England danger men Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss and Andrew Flintoff with deliveries which either bounced alarmingly or swung, and at 150kmh, he was too good.

Tait later accused the England bats of struggling against the short ball, and expected Ricky Ponting to use the same tactic this summer - regardless of which pace attack he has at his disposal.

"There's some guys there that really don't play the short ball that well and are prepared to have a go at it," Tait said after the PM's side hammered England by 166 runs.

"So we exploited that today and it came off.

"We got two or three wickets from short balls, so the Australian team can look at that and maybe exploit that as well." Teammates Cameron White and Phil Jaques said it would take time for England's batsmen to adjust to the quicker, bouncier Australian pitches, and White said someone of Tait's pace could expose any frailties the tourists might have.

"There's not too many people around the world who can play a short ball at your head at 150kmh too well, so if that's a weakness, it could be," the PM's XI skipper said.

Tait is among a handful of Australian fast bowlers battling to play at the Gabba alongside Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath, and although he was unsure if he had done enough after some great form of late, felt he had given himself every chance.

He said he was a better bowler since he played two Tests on the 2005 Ashes tour.

"It felt pretty good," he said.

"I've learned a fair bit over the last year or so, my bowling's more accurate.

"I bowled (three) wides today considering I bowled 14 in the (domestic one-day) final last year.

"I worked hard on the off-season on my accuracy and it's come good." Having cashed in on the headstart he was given over Nathan Bracken, Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark, Tait could press his case even further when South Australia plays England in a three-day game starting November 17.

Clark and Bracken will play for NSW against England on Sunday, while Johnson and Shane Watson will play for Queensland against Western Australia in a Pura Cup match starting Sunday in Perth.

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