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Australians 313 for 9 (Clarke 76, Hussey 67, Topley 4-46) v Essex
David Hussey eased to 67 as Australia posted a strong total © Getty Images
Australia's batsmen limbered up for the looming ODI series against England by rushing to 313 for 9 against Essex in the day/night tour match at Chelmsford. The captain Michael Clarke and the seasoned David Hussey did best for the tourists with a pair of half centuries, after David Warner and Shane Watson had sprinted at the start.
Matthew Wade and Steve Smith also contributed at the end, leaving George Bailey as the only batsman not to have made a score of any real note in two county innings on the tour so far. His stay was ended by the young left-arm seamer Reece Topley, who caught the eye with his height, bounce and modicum of movement on a day made for aggressive batting.
England's ODI captain Alastair Cook will now have the chance to get his bearings against Australia's attack, featuring the teenaged Pat Cummins. Ravi Bopara will also be looking for runs against the visitors under the Chelmsford lights.
Clarke won the toss on a beautiful summer's afternoon, sending out his third top-order batting combination in as many matches by pairing Watson and Warner to open, with Bailey slated to come in at No. 3 after recovering from a groin strain. The visitors' pace attack comprised Brett Lee and Cummins, who each bowled against Ireland, and Clint McKay who did not.
Warner and Watson were off to a rollicking start, adding 51 in little more than six overs as they took advantage of an invitingly short western boundary. A Warner pull shot sailed clear beyond the stands, while a Watson on-drive clanged off the back of an open stand. Mercifully for Essex, Warner would perish for only 26, unable to control a hook towards the more distant eastern fence and being caught in the deep off Graham Napier.
Watson was soon to follow, touching a bouncing delivery from Topley as it arrowed down the legside and offering a catch to James Foster. When Bailey cracked the promising Topley to an alert Greg Smith at backward point having made only 12, the hosts had rather made up for the flowing runs of the first six overs.
Clarke had picked the gap at midwicket to reach the boundary from his first ball, and with Hussey set about regrouping. All of the bowlers were to be taken for greater than five runs per over with batting that was more busy than bluster, Clarke timing the ball sweetly across a swift outfield and Hussey punching his strokes with typical purpose. Their stand was worth 137 in 123 balls by the time Clarke decided he'd had enough and retired, and Hussey stayed only another four runs before he swung once too often at Tim Phillips' slow left-arm.
Smith and Wade contributed useful cameos to hurry the tally along towards 300, and Lee put a capstone on the innings by lathering a six to rival those of Watson and Warner before Topley removed his leg stump. There was some evidence of reverse swing on a dry pitch, a skill the Australian bowlers will also be keen to rehearse ahead of Friday's first ODI at Lord's.
David Hussey eased to 67 as Australia posted a strong total © Getty Images
Australia's batsmen limbered up for the looming ODI series against England by rushing to 313 for 9 against Essex in the day/night tour match at Chelmsford. The captain Michael Clarke and the seasoned David Hussey did best for the tourists with a pair of half centuries, after David Warner and Shane Watson had sprinted at the start.
Matthew Wade and Steve Smith also contributed at the end, leaving George Bailey as the only batsman not to have made a score of any real note in two county innings on the tour so far. His stay was ended by the young left-arm seamer Reece Topley, who caught the eye with his height, bounce and modicum of movement on a day made for aggressive batting.
England's ODI captain Alastair Cook will now have the chance to get his bearings against Australia's attack, featuring the teenaged Pat Cummins. Ravi Bopara will also be looking for runs against the visitors under the Chelmsford lights.
Clarke won the toss on a beautiful summer's afternoon, sending out his third top-order batting combination in as many matches by pairing Watson and Warner to open, with Bailey slated to come in at No. 3 after recovering from a groin strain. The visitors' pace attack comprised Brett Lee and Cummins, who each bowled against Ireland, and Clint McKay who did not.
Warner and Watson were off to a rollicking start, adding 51 in little more than six overs as they took advantage of an invitingly short western boundary. A Warner pull shot sailed clear beyond the stands, while a Watson on-drive clanged off the back of an open stand. Mercifully for Essex, Warner would perish for only 26, unable to control a hook towards the more distant eastern fence and being caught in the deep off Graham Napier.
Watson was soon to follow, touching a bouncing delivery from Topley as it arrowed down the legside and offering a catch to James Foster. When Bailey cracked the promising Topley to an alert Greg Smith at backward point having made only 12, the hosts had rather made up for the flowing runs of the first six overs.
Clarke had picked the gap at midwicket to reach the boundary from his first ball, and with Hussey set about regrouping. All of the bowlers were to be taken for greater than five runs per over with batting that was more busy than bluster, Clarke timing the ball sweetly across a swift outfield and Hussey punching his strokes with typical purpose. Their stand was worth 137 in 123 balls by the time Clarke decided he'd had enough and retired, and Hussey stayed only another four runs before he swung once too often at Tim Phillips' slow left-arm.
Smith and Wade contributed useful cameos to hurry the tally along towards 300, and Lee put a capstone on the innings by lathering a six to rival those of Watson and Warner before Topley removed his leg stump. There was some evidence of reverse swing on a dry pitch, a skill the Australian bowlers will also be keen to rehearse ahead of Friday's first ODI at Lord's.