Vodafone Challenge: Essex v Australians at Chelmsford, 29 Jun

Vodafone Challenge: Essex v Australians at Chelmsford, 29 Jun - 1 Jul 2001
Paul Hiscock

Australians 2nd innings: Day Three: Lunch, Day Three: Tea, Day Three: Stumps and Result,
Live Reports from previous days

AUSTRALIA OPT FOR BATTING PRACTICE AS GAME PETERS INTO DRAW

After two days of highly entertaining cricket, the final day proved somewhat disappointing for the capacity crowd with the Australians electing to bat throughout. When the close came, the game had slipped into the farcical stage with the home side turning to their recognised batsmen, including Nasser Hussain, to deliver the final overs.

The crowd had hoped for a declaration after lunch to set up a meaningful conclusion, which would have also offered another opportunity to Hussain to gain valuable practice ahead of next week's First Test. Since his return from a broken thumb, the England captain has scored only 47 runs in three innings.

Instead, the tourists opted to enjoy the easy-paced bating pitch and improve a number of bating averages. Five players contributed half-centuries in their mammoth 569-9 with Ricky Ponting joint top scoring with 79. His was one of a number of quick-fire displays as he struck a six and 12 fours from 71 balls.

He also featured in the highest partnership of the day, 100 for the sixth wicket with Jason Gillespie but the latter’s display was dour as he paid unrelenting respect to the home side’s attack.

Gillespie made only 22 of the 162 runs scored whilst he was at the wicket and his nearly two-and-a-half-hour vigil was finally broken by Peter Such who found a top edge when the batsman attempted a sweep.

Brett Lee was the other top scorer, in a breezy innings that contained 12 boundaries including two sixes but the most attacking performance came from Colin Miller. He needed only 32 deliveries to reach his half-century as he dispatched nine boundaries including a six before giving Richard Clinton his maiden first-class wicket.

Peter Such battled manfully for the home attack, the former England spinner sending down 39 overs that yielded 5-131 but he was unable to break a last wicket stand of 79 between Damien Martyn and Adam Gilchrist that would have given his side some welcome relief from their exhausting day in the field.

The Australians finally declared ten minutes before the scheduled close with a meaningless lead of 743 runs to bring a merciful end to the game.

AUSTRALIA PROLONG SECOND INNINGS FOR BATTING PRACTICE

The tourists have continued their second innings throughout the afternoon session to the disappointment of the home crowd although they could have few complaints at the Australians scoring rate.

The visitors added 165 runs in 28 overs with Ricky Ponting and Colin Miller completing half-centuries. Ponting needed only 39 balls to achieve the milestone striking 10 boundaries and he had raced onto 79 when he gave off-spinner Peter Such the charge and was stumped.

That wicket followed the dismissal of the altogether more circumspect Jason Gillespie who also fell victim to the same combination when he top-edged an attempted sweep with his score on 22.

That innings though spanned almost two-and-a-half-hours that had seen him contribute only 22 out of the 162 runs that were scored whilst he was at the crease.

In refreshing contrast, Miller displayed a whirlwind approach and reached a highly entertaining fifty from 32 balls that included a six and eight fours against a labouring Essex attack for whom Such has so far claimed figures of 5-131 in an admirable display of 39 enduring overs.

At tea, the Aussies lead had increased to 643 runs with three wickets still intact.

LANGER'S FAILURE THE ONLY CLOUD ON AUSTRALIAN HORIZON

Australia continued their second innings and at lunch have a lead of 478 but it has not been all positive news for the tourists.

Justin Langer, desperate to find his touch ahead of next week’s First Test, was one of three wickets to fall in the morning session when he was beaten by the arm ball from off-spinner Peter Such that kept low and was bowled for 17.

In contrast, Brett Lee flourished hitting an entertaining 79 with two sixes and ten fours before he came down the track to Such and was stumped to give the former England bowler figures of 2-24 on the day. That ended a fourth wicket partnership of 61 with Jason Gillespie whose pedestrian approach saw him contribute just two runs to the stand.

Former Essex player Mark Waugh was trapped lbw first ball to give young pace bowler Justin Bishop a prestigious wicket but Ricky Ponting entertained the capacity crowd with a hard-hitting cameo innings.

When the lunch interval came, he had faced only 19 balls in reaching 32 in contrast to the ultra-circumspect Gillespie who had mustered only three singles in an 86-minute stay at the crease.