DERBY: Australia were 51 without loss in their second innings at tea on the third and final day of their tour match against Derbyshire at Derby on Saturday.

Shaun Marsh was 30 not out and skipper Michael Clarke on 19 not out with the Australians ahead by 205 runs.

Earlier, Australia dismissed Derbyshire for 259 in reply to their first innings 413 for nine declared.

That left Derbyshire 154 runs behind and five shy of avoiding the follow-on, but Clarke opted against making them bat again.

Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh led the tourists’ attack with four for 41 in 15 overs.

Derbyshire’s Tony Palladino, primarily a seam bowler, top-scored in the innings with 82 off just 68 balls, including eight fours and four sixes.

Together with David Wainwright (38) he put on 105 for the eighth wicket.

Marsh took three wickets in quick succession. He had Scott Elstone (19) caught in the gully by Warner and, four legitimate balls later, pinned Madsen lbw for 19.

Marsh struck again when he had Tom Knight (three) well caught low down at second slip.

Derbyshire were then 104 for five, with Marsh having taken three wickets for nine runs in 19 balls.

Leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed then got in on the act, bowling Jonathan Clare to reduce Derbyshire to 116 for six.

Harvey Hosein (17) was then held by Watson off Peter Siddle.

But with Australia resting their frontline fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, as well as off-spinner Nathan Lyon, Marsh was the only member of the attack on Saturday set to play at Edgbaston.

Brief scores:

AUSTRALIA 413-9 declared (D.A. Warner 101 retired out, S.E. Marsh 101 retired out, S.R. Watson 61, M.R. Marsh 53, B.J. Haddin 32; W.S. Davis 3-63, H.J. White 2-85) and 51-0 (S.E. Marsh 30 not out); DERBYSHIRE 259 (A.P. Palladino 82, D.J. Wainwright 38; M.R. Marsh 4-41, Fawad Ahmed 3-68).

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2015

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