No last call on EasyMock

I have a static function which is as simple as following:

public class Utility {
   public static String funcA() {
      return "ABC";
   }
}

I was shock seeing the following error when I am unit testing the Utility class:

java.lang.IllegalStateException: no last call on a mock available
 at org.easymock.EasyMock.getControlForLastCall(EasyMock.java:560)
 at org.easymock.EasyMock.expect(EasyMock.java:538)
 at org.huahsin.unittest.theprocess(SUT.java:72)
 at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
 at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57)
 at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
 at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:606)
 at org.junit.internal.runners.TestMethod.invoke(TestMethod.java:68)
 at org.powermock.modules.junit4.internal.impl.PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl$PowerMockJUnit44MethodRunner.runTestMethod(PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl.java:310)
 at org.junit.internal.runners.MethodRoadie$2.run(MethodRoadie.java:88)
 at org.junit.internal.runners.MethodRoadie.runBeforesThenTestThenAfters(MethodRoadie.java:96)
 at org.powermock.modules.junit4.internal.impl.PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl$PowerMockJUnit44MethodRunner.executeTest(PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl.java:294)
 at org.powermock.modules.junit4.internal.impl.PowerMockJUnit47RunnerDelegateImpl$PowerMockJUnit47MethodRunner.executeTestInSuper(PowerMockJUnit47RunnerDelegateImpl.java:127)
 at org.powermock.modules.junit4.internal.impl.PowerMockJUnit47RunnerDelegateImpl$PowerMockJUnit47MethodRunner.executeTest(PowerMockJUnit47RunnerDelegateImpl.java:82)
 at org.powermock.modules.junit4.internal.impl.PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl$PowerMockJUnit44MethodRunner.runBeforesThenTestThenAfters(PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl.java:282)
 at org.junit.internal.runners.MethodRoadie.runTest(MethodRoadie.java:86)
 at org.junit.internal.runners.MethodRoadie.run(MethodRoadie.java:49)
 at org.powermock.modules.junit4.internal.impl.PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl.invokeTestMethod(PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl.java:207)
 at org.powermock.modules.junit4.internal.impl.PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl.runMethods(PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl.java:146)
 at org.powermock.modules.junit4.internal.impl.PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl$1.run(PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl.java:120)
 at org.junit.internal.runners.ClassRoadie.runUnprotected(ClassRoadie.java:33)
 at org.junit.internal.runners.ClassRoadie.runProtected(ClassRoadie.java:45)
 at org.powermock.modules.junit4.internal.impl.PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl.run(PowerMockJUnit44RunnerDelegateImpl.java:122)
 at org.powermock.modules.junit4.common.internal.impl.JUnit4TestSuiteChunkerImpl.run(JUnit4TestSuiteChunkerImpl.java:106)
 at org.powermock.modules.junit4.common.internal.impl.AbstractCommonPowerMockRunner.run(AbstractCommonPowerMockRunner.java:53)
 at org.powermock.modules.junit4.PowerMockRunner.run(PowerMockRunner.java:59)
 at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit4.runner.JUnit4TestReference.run(JUnit4TestReference.java:86)
 at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.TestExecution.run(TestExecution.java:38)
 at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:459)
 at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:675)
 at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.run(RemoteTestRunner.java:382)
 at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.main(RemoteTestRunner.java:192

The error message is quite confusing to me because this is to indicate that EasyMock was unable call the function as the function is being declared as static. Since EasyMock unable to handle static method, then PowerMock would be my best fit on this matter.

To allow EasyMock to see static method, I have to make an announcement to EasyMock that I'm sending in a class with static method and I'm going to unit test it now.

@RunWith(PowerMockRunner.class)
@PrepareForTest(Utility.class)
public class SUT {
   @BeforeClass
   public static void setUpBeforeClass() {
      PowerMock.mockStatic(Utility.class);
   }

   @Test
   public void theprocess() throws InvalidDataFileException {
      EasyMock.expect(Utility.funcA()).andReturn("genius");

      PowerMock.replayAll();

      /***** start test code when mock code are done *****/
   }
}

Then only EasyMock will know what to do. Do remember to call PowerMock.replayAll() to get the mock objects ready, otherwise EasyMock wouldn't recognize them.