• Australia 366-5 dec & 152-2; Sussex 368-7 dec
• Match drawn
While Australia's selectors now have more evidence on which to base their decisions when choosing their side for this week's crucial third Test at Old Trafford, whether it makes their job any more straightforward is another matter altogether. After Sussex completed their first innings having scored only two more runs than the tourists, the match inevitably petered out into a draw.
It was a largely frustrating exercise for the bowlers vying to replace the injured seamer James Pattinson, with Mitchell Starc, Jackson Bird and James Faulkner all struggling to impose themselves on a good pitch.
Bird, the 26-year-old Tasmanian, had looked the pick of the trio on Saturday, when he finished with two for 33 from 14 accurate overs, but he was unable to regain that rhythm on Sunday morning, conceding a further 29 runs from six overs without taking a wicket.
By contrast Starc, who had been markedly wayward on Saturday, found a measure of control, and was deservedly rewarded when he bowled Chris Jordan with a delivery that swung back into the right-handed all-rounder. "We were actually surprised with how much it did swing here for 'Birdy' and myself, and even for James Faulkner," said Starc. "I think our lengths were very good in this game. Our lines were probably too much two sides of the wicket, if we want to be critical."
Nathan Lyon, whose off-spin was smashed to all parts by Rory Hamilton-Brown the previous day, also came back well, and on top of trapping Callum Jackson leg-before, should also have had James Taylor, who went on to score an unbeaten century, caught on 90 when he skied to deep mid-on, only for Ashton Agar to drop the chance. The fact he bowled 26 overs in the innings, 12 more than Agar, suggests that Australia will pick him ahead of Agar against England in Manchester.
The batting picture is cloudier still. Despite the two of them failing to muster 200 runs between them in their eight Test innings to date, it appears to be set in stone that Chris Rogers and Shane Watson will continue to open. It also looks certain David Warner will come back at No6 . The previously suspended opener took to Twitteron Sunday to describe his latest contretemps, an on-field spat with a South African opponent while playing for Australia A, as "lively banter".
With Michael Clarke currently insisting on batting at five, that leaves two places to be decided. Steve Smith, who had looked vulnerable, came in at No4 in this game and with a patient unbeaten century, must have done enough to secure his place.
Having scored 40 coming in at three in the first innings, Usman Khawaja opened in the second innings and edged a Lewis Hatchett out-swinger to first slip for only a single but the left-hander's 54 in the second-innings debacle at Lord's makes him very hard to leave out.
It means that Phillip Hughes, who followed an unconvincing 84 in the first innings with 38 yesterday – during which he was struck squarely on the badge of his helmet by the slippery Chris Jordan – is the man most likely to miss out. Ed Cowan, who scored impressive half-centuries in each innings of this game, seems to have been written off altogether.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia has confirmed it has been unable to pin down the source of an offensive tweet posted on its official Twitter account after the England batsman Ian Bell was given not out when he edged Ryan Harris low to Smith at gully early in his second innings at Lord's.
When the appeal was turned down after numerous replays, the Cricket Australia account tweeted: "That decision sucked ass £bullshit." The tweet was quickly deleted and replaced by an apology but CA has now acknowledged the hacker cannot be traced.
"Unfortunately, Twitter don't log IP addresses of specific tweets or keep records of deleted tweets so it has been impossible to determine where the tweet was posted from."
CA said it had reviewed security and put processes in place to minimise the possibility of a recurrence. Reported by guardian.co.uk 1 day ago.
• Match drawn
While Australia's selectors now have more evidence on which to base their decisions when choosing their side for this week's crucial third Test at Old Trafford, whether it makes their job any more straightforward is another matter altogether. After Sussex completed their first innings having scored only two more runs than the tourists, the match inevitably petered out into a draw.
It was a largely frustrating exercise for the bowlers vying to replace the injured seamer James Pattinson, with Mitchell Starc, Jackson Bird and James Faulkner all struggling to impose themselves on a good pitch.
Bird, the 26-year-old Tasmanian, had looked the pick of the trio on Saturday, when he finished with two for 33 from 14 accurate overs, but he was unable to regain that rhythm on Sunday morning, conceding a further 29 runs from six overs without taking a wicket.
By contrast Starc, who had been markedly wayward on Saturday, found a measure of control, and was deservedly rewarded when he bowled Chris Jordan with a delivery that swung back into the right-handed all-rounder. "We were actually surprised with how much it did swing here for 'Birdy' and myself, and even for James Faulkner," said Starc. "I think our lengths were very good in this game. Our lines were probably too much two sides of the wicket, if we want to be critical."
Nathan Lyon, whose off-spin was smashed to all parts by Rory Hamilton-Brown the previous day, also came back well, and on top of trapping Callum Jackson leg-before, should also have had James Taylor, who went on to score an unbeaten century, caught on 90 when he skied to deep mid-on, only for Ashton Agar to drop the chance. The fact he bowled 26 overs in the innings, 12 more than Agar, suggests that Australia will pick him ahead of Agar against England in Manchester.
The batting picture is cloudier still. Despite the two of them failing to muster 200 runs between them in their eight Test innings to date, it appears to be set in stone that Chris Rogers and Shane Watson will continue to open. It also looks certain David Warner will come back at No6 . The previously suspended opener took to Twitteron Sunday to describe his latest contretemps, an on-field spat with a South African opponent while playing for Australia A, as "lively banter".
With Michael Clarke currently insisting on batting at five, that leaves two places to be decided. Steve Smith, who had looked vulnerable, came in at No4 in this game and with a patient unbeaten century, must have done enough to secure his place.
Having scored 40 coming in at three in the first innings, Usman Khawaja opened in the second innings and edged a Lewis Hatchett out-swinger to first slip for only a single but the left-hander's 54 in the second-innings debacle at Lord's makes him very hard to leave out.
It means that Phillip Hughes, who followed an unconvincing 84 in the first innings with 38 yesterday – during which he was struck squarely on the badge of his helmet by the slippery Chris Jordan – is the man most likely to miss out. Ed Cowan, who scored impressive half-centuries in each innings of this game, seems to have been written off altogether.
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia has confirmed it has been unable to pin down the source of an offensive tweet posted on its official Twitter account after the England batsman Ian Bell was given not out when he edged Ryan Harris low to Smith at gully early in his second innings at Lord's.
When the appeal was turned down after numerous replays, the Cricket Australia account tweeted: "That decision sucked ass £bullshit." The tweet was quickly deleted and replaced by an apology but CA has now acknowledged the hacker cannot be traced.
"Unfortunately, Twitter don't log IP addresses of specific tweets or keep records of deleted tweets so it has been impossible to determine where the tweet was posted from."
CA said it had reviewed security and put processes in place to minimise the possibility of a recurrence. Reported by guardian.co.uk 1 day ago.