Edinburgh: David Hussey smashed his first one-day international century as Australia began life without the Ashes by scoring 345 all out in Friday’s one-day international against Scotland in Edinburgh.
Hussey bludgeoned the Scotland attack for 111 from just 83 balls as the Australians played for the first time since losing the Ashes to England in the final Test at the Oval on Sunday.
A 114-run stand between Hussey and Adam Voges, who scored 72, came in 83 balls and paved the way for Australia’s total, their biggest in a one-day game on British soil, after Shane Watson’s 68 at the top of the order set the tone.A late flurry of Australia wickets saw the tourists bowled out from the final ball of the 50 overs, with Gordon Goudie bowling debutant Dirk Nannes - who played for Holland at the World Twenty20 in June - to finish with figures of five for 73.
The match is Australia’s warm-up for the forthcoming Twenty20 matches and seven one-day internationals against England.
Scotland had begun the game well when Dewald Nel removed David Warner for a duck in the first over, the opener feathering a catch through to wicketkeeper Marc Petrie.The tourists also lost stand-in captain Michael Clarke for 16 when he misjudged a Goudie slower ball and was bowled attempting a swipe to leg.
But despite the early wickets Watson was content to play his shots and raced to his half-century from just 30 balls.
He took 16 from Richie Berrington’s first over, but departed soon after when he flicked Nel to Ryan Watson at deep square leg.
Reckless strokeplay was all that was threatening to keep Australia’s score under 300, with Cameron White needlessly skying a catch to Goudie at deep mid-off at 19.
That brought Hussey and Voges together with the score on 143 for four after 24 overs.
Voges was happy to play second fiddle, adding just 29 in their century stand, although Hussey rode his luck when Gordon Drummond athletically held a catch only to jump over the mid-on boundary in doing so.
Hussey did depart next over when Neil McCullum held on inches in front of the ropes to end an innings that included 10 fours and five sixes.
Voges took up where Hussey left off, thrashing four sixes to reach 60, as Haq’s miserable day worsened when he dropped a simple return chance.
Drummond eventually removed Voges caught in the deep before Australia’s second debutant of the day, Tim Paine, continued the run fest with an unbeaten 29.
The tourists might have then expected to post a score of over 350, but the late hitting never materialised as Goudie claimed the final four wickets for 22 runs.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, August 28, 2009, 22:39