Five for Kasper as Aussies Draw

The three day match between Worcestershire and the Australians fizzled out into a tame draw today, but not before Michael Kasprowicz had given the selectors a timely reminder of his own abilities with a spell of 5-67 from 15 overs.

The Australians declared on their overnight total of 406-9 at the end of Day 2, the first having been all but washed out. Shaun Tait immediately set about the Worcestershire batsmen, trapping Stephen Peters for a duck in his second over.

New ball partner Jason Gillespie removed former England star Graeme Hick and Ben Smith in quick succession before a partnership of 85 between Vikram Solanki (36) and Stephen Moore (69) added some semblance of respectability.

Enter Kasprowicz, exit Worcestershire, in the face of an excellent spell of seam-up bowling in relatively unhelpful conditions which saw him grab five of the last six wickets to fall. Only Jamie Pipe (22*) and Nadeem Malik (16) offered any semblance of resistance, putting on a spirited partnership of 36 for the last wicket as Worcestershire subsided for 187.

With one eye on the second test starting on Thursday, Ricky Ponting decided not to enforce the follow-on and chase victory, choosing instead to spend some time in the middle – a decision that might indicate that Australia will be naming an unchanged side for the second Test Match at Edgbaston.

Ponting and Michael Clarke put on 80 for the first wicket before Clarke was run out for 59 at a run a ball, a total matched in more sedate and undefeated manner by the captain. Brad Hodge came and went for a bright and breezy 21 before time ran out with the Australians 161-2.

Match Summary

Australia 406-9 dcl
Haddin 94, Hayden 79
Nadeem Malik 3-78, Mason 2-65

and 161-2
Ponting 59*, Clarke 59

Worcestershire 187 all out
Moore 69
Kasprowicz 5-67, Gillespie 2-45, Tait 2-51

Match drawn