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CHELMSFORD (England), Sept 5: Led by opener Matthew Hayden, Australia’s batsmen made up for their bowling embarrassment by piling on the runs before drawing their two-day game against Essex at Chelmsford on Sunday. Left-hander Hayden, who has struggled for form in the Ashes series which England lead 2-1, hammered 150 before the tourists closed on 561 for six in reply to the Essex first innings of 502 for four.
Hayden struck 18 fours and seven sixes in only 118 balls.
A day after Australia’s attack were put to the sword by two England under-19 players, Hayden, fellow opener Justin Langer (87), Simon Katich (72), Brad Hodge (166) and Brad Haddin (57) scored freely at just under six runs an over.
The sole disappointment for Australia in their last warm-up game for Thursday’s fifth and final Test against England at The Oval was another failure by Adam Gilchrist.
Scoreboard
ESSEX (1st Innings):
W.I. Jefferson b Kasprowicz 64
A.N. Cook c Gillespie b Kasprowicz 214
R.S. Bopara b Tait 135
M.L. Pettini c Hayden b Tait 8
J.S. Foster not out 38
J.D. Middlebrook not out 26
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-5, NB-8) 17
TOTAL (for four decl, 105 overs) 502
FALL OF WKTS: 1-140, 2-410, 3-434, 4-441.
DID NOT BAT: R.C. Irani, T.J. Phillips, G.R. Napier, A.P. Palladinom A. Nel, J.S. Ahmed.
BOWLING: Lee 13-0-69-0 (2nb); Gillespie 22-3-80-0; Tait 15-1-72-2 (3nb); MacGill 24-0-128-0; Kasprowicz 19-2-85-2 (3nb); Hodge 12-1-59-0.
AUSTRALIA (1st Innings):
J.L. Langer c Cook b Middlebrook 87
M.L. Hayden retired out 150
S.M. Katich c Pettini b Napier 72
B.J. Hodge c Foster b Phillips 166
A.C. Gilchrist c Palladino b Middlebrook 8
B.J. Haddin st Pettini b Phillips 59
B. Lee not out 7
J.N. Gillespie not out 4
EXTRAS (LB-1, W-2, NB-5) 8
TOTAL (for six wkts, 95 overs) 561
FALL OF WKTS: 1-213, 2-244, 3-378, 4-389, 5-550, 6-550.
DID NOT BAT: R.T. Ponting, S.W. Tait, M.S. Kasprowicz, S.C.G. MacGill.
BOWLING: Nel 10-1-41-0; Palladino 12-1-81-0 (3nb); Napier 12-1-77-1 (1w); Ahmed 15-0-95-0 (2nb, 1w); Middlebrook 23-3-110-2; Phillips 20-0-137-2; Cook 3-0-19-0.
NOTE: 12 players per side (11 bat, 11 field).—Agencies
