Melbourne, August 15: Australia’s batsmen overcame the early loss of Simon Katich to rattle along at more than five runs an over on the first morning of their two-day warm-up against England Lions at Canterbury.
By lunch, Shane Watson had produced his fourth half-century in as many innings since taking over from Phillip Hughes at the top of Australia’s order, and was sitting pretty on 91 not out with Mike Hussey unbeaten alongside him on 19.
The Lions made a last-minute change to their team when Joe Sayers stepped in for Jonathan Trott, who was withdrawn by the ECB ahead of his probable Test debut on Thursday, but having won the toss Jamie Dalrymple decided to bowl first. The decision paid early dividends when Katich cut loosely at his fourth delivery and picked out Michael Carberry at point, but that merely brought Ricky Ponting to the crease – to loud and, lately, unfamiliar applause from an appreciative Canterbury crowd, and he responded with a pleasing cameo of 45 from 61 balls.
Ponting didn’t have it all his own way at first. He got off the mark by inside-edging Steve Kirby past the keeper for four, and was then jammed painfully on the gloves by a Liam Plunkett lifter before thrashing airily through point in the same over. But it didn’t take long for he and Watson to settle into their morning’s work.
An otherwise tidy spell from the 19-year-old Harris was dented when Watson climbed into his seventh over, with three fours and a two, including a drive that burst through the fielder’s half-formed defences at extra cover. Ponting then followed suit, by clubbing Plunkett’s very next over for 17, including three fine cover-drives and a hook, as his first four-over spell was dispatched for a sorry 36 runs.
There were 14 boundaries in the first hour alone, as Australia reached drinks on 72 for 1, and it took the introduction of Chris Woakes to restore some order, as Ponting snicked the final ball of his first over through to Steven Davies, to depart for 45 from 60 balls. Watson would then have been run out on 41 if a shy from the covers had hit, but followed up by launching Woakes for six to move to 48, and in the next over brought up his half-century from 58 balls.
By lunch, Watson was really beginning to click through his gears, and went to the break on 92 not out, with 15 fours and a six, having needed just 22 balls for his next 42 runs. Plunkett and Woakes in particular were plundered in an unbeaten third-wicket stand of 83 from just 12 overs.
—–Agencies