CAMERON White century and an unbeaten 72 from Michael Hussey eased Australia to a five-wicket win on Saturday  at Lord’s over a Middlesex side led by their legendary former team-mate Adam Gilchrist.
In their final warm-up game ahead of tomorrow’s NatWest Trophy one-day international series opener against England at The Rose Bowl, the tourists recovered from the depths of 64 for four to coast to victory off the back of a fifth-wicket stand of 176 between White and Hussey.
Doug Bollinger was the pick of the tourists’ attack as he claimed three for 24 in Middlesex’s innings of 273 for five.
Australia made a brisk start through Shane Watson and Tim Paine (10) until Paine was unluckily run out when backing-up after Tim Murtagh tipped a possible caught and bowled chance onto the non-striker’s stumps.
Watson (24), having clattered three fours and a six from 15 balls, then set off for a risky single to backward point only to be run out by a direct hit from his Twenty20 opening partner David Warner.
In the next over Michael Clarke suffered his second successive duck of the tour when playing across a full-length ball from Murtagh to go leg before wicket, then captain Ricky Ponting (17) fell in the same manner, playing back and across to a skiddy off-cutter.
White and Hussey then combined in a clinical stand over 33 overs. White hit eight fours and then swept a flat six into the Grandstand off spinner Tom Smith to reach an imperious 114-ball hundred.
With victory almost in his grasp the right-hander miscued a back-foot force into the hands of mid-on and departed to a standing ovation, leaving Hussey to pick up six fours in his 99-ball stay and complete a thoroughly professional run chase with 13 balls to spare.
Owais Shah was the mainstay of the Middlesex innings, coasting to an elegant 50 from 79 balls and eventually fell for 92.
Having hit eight fours and a six in his 123-ball stay, Shah aimed to clear the ropes at mid-on against Clint McKay but picked out Bollinger on the run toward deep midwicket to end a fifth-wicket stand of 63 with Scott Newman.