AUSTRALIA eased to a comfortable victory over Leicestershire at Grace Road in their first warm-up game ahead of the one-day series against England. They won a rain-affected match by 102 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis system after posting a total of 241 for eight in an innings reduced to 41 overs.
Leicestershire, chasing a revised a target of 239 off 36 overs after more rain interruptions, were bowled out for 136 with 38 balls remaining.
Only Greg Smith, who hit 44 off 59 balls, and Matthew Boyce with 38 off 37 balls, offered any resistance as Clint McKay took four for 31, James Pattinson two for 27 and Shane Watson two for 14. But Mitchell Johnson, looking to reclaim his place in the one-day side, failed to take a wicket in his six overs that cost 27 runs.
David Warner produced the stand-out performance of the Australia innings after the start was delayed by an hour and 45 minutes. The explosive left-hander smacked three sixes and five fours before retiring out for 74 after another rain-break.
Matthew Wade, instead of Watson, was Warner’s opening partner – a sign perhaps of the possible make-up of the side for the five-match ODI series against England. The wicketkeeper was no slouch either in a partnership of 69 off 15 overs, hitting five boundaries before being rapped on the pads by Abdul Razzaq.
The tourists’ captain, Michael Clarke, also looked in good touch as the third-wicket pair took the score past 100 in the 23rd over. Warner struck two more sixes off James Sykes to reach 74 off 78 balls before the rain arrived, and kept the players off the field for another 55 minutes.
Warner, happy enough with his efforts, retired out to give others a chance of batting practice with the innings now reduced to 41 overs. Clarke hit a glorious six over the extra-cover boundary, but was bowled leg stump by the next delivery from Michael Thornely, having made 29 off 32 balls.
Razzaq, the most impressive of Leicestershire’s bowlers, finished with three for 39 in nine overs, as the Australians now move on to play Ireland and Essex before the series against England starts on June 29.