Australia toil in final Ashes warm-up vs Essex
Australia bowlers were made to toil on the second day of their final Ashes warm-up clash against Essex at Chelmsford yesterday.
Essex closed on 299-3 but still trailed the tourists by 263 runs after Michael Clarke’s side had earlier been dismissed for 562. Opener Tom Westley struck 144 while stand-in skipper Ravi Bopara finished 86 not out.
Left-armer Mitchell Starc took two late Essex wickets while seamer Peter Siddle, who had replaced the injured Ryan Harris in Australia’s line-up on Wednesday, claimed the other. Siddle had earlier shared a 73-run stand for Australia’s 10th wicket with off-spinner and No11 batsman Nathan Lyon.
The first Test of the Ashes series begins in Cardiff on Wednesday.