Australians draw against Lions by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Ground:	County Ground, New Road, Worcester
Scorecard:	England Lions v Australians
Player:	MEK Hussey, MJ North, MJ Clarke
Event:	Australia in British Isles 2009

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DateLine: 5th July 2009

 

Australia's last warm-up game before the start of the first Ashes Test ended in a draw as the England Lions batted out the final two sessions at New Road.

 

The Lions, chasing a huge 445 to win off 60 overs, closed on 162-4 after Ricky Ponting declared his side's second innings at 438-4 at the lunch interval.

 

Ponting's declaration denied Marcus North the opportunity to reach his double century. The Western Australian left-hander was stranded on 191.

 

Australia resumed at 276-4 on the fourth morning and North and Michael Hussey made good progress before Hussey retired hurt to rest a sore ankle.

 

Haddin then joined North and hit four boundaries scoring a quickfire 25 to see Australia through to lunch.

 

North finished with 191 not out. His 281-ball innings spanned over six hours and featuring 23 fours and a six.

 

This knock alongside his ability to bowl decent off-spin should earn North a place in the first Test in Cardiff, starting on July 8.

 

The Lions then comfortably batted out the remainder of the day even though Mitchell Johnson (2-48) did remove Joe Denly and Stephen Moore during a fiery, but expensive, new-ball spell.

 

Moore (16), a first-innings centurion, edged to Ponting at second slip, while Denly - who reeled off a series of handsome drives to reach 36 - nicked through to wicketkeeper Haddin.

 

Ian Bell (20) also fell for a small score, flicking at a Nathan Hauritz (1-22) delivery and finding Simon Katich at short-leg.

 

Brett Lee (1-38) also added to his first-innings haul 6-76, knocking out Vikram Solanki's (28) leg-stump.

 

Solanki's exit reduced the Lions to 115-4 but Eoin Morgan and Stephen Davies shared an unbroken 47-run partnership before the respective skipper's shook hands on a draw.