Watson falls short of century

Jonathan Trott was withdrawn from the England Lions team to play the Australians in a two-day game at Canterbury, leaving Shane Watson and Michael Hussey to share the batting honours in front of a 5,000 crowd.

Watson hit a superb 95 from just 85 balls and Hussey a less flamboyant but still valuable 65, in Australia's only fixture between the fourth and fifth Tests.

Seven of the side likely to play in the Ashes decider at the Oval were included, plus Nathan Hauritz and Stuart Clark who are expected to fight it out for the final bowling place next Thursday.

Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Ben Hilfenhaus were the only three frontline Australians rested, while the England selectors opted to replace Trott with Joe Sayers, the Yorkshire opener.

"It was felt that Jonathan has spent a lot of time at the crease for Warwickshire in the past week, including scoring a century against Nottinghamshire," said an ECB spokesman.

He would not confirm, however, the conclusion that everyone drew from Trott's late exclusion: that he will be in the England squad for the Oval Test when it is announced tomorrow.

Put in to bat by Jamie Dalrymple, the Lions captain, the Australians lost the early wicket of Simon Katich - who hit a short ball straight to cover in the second over - before threatening to run the Lions' bowling attack ragged.

The England second string did claw it back in the field, though, before the Australians eventually declared on 340 for nine.

Ricky Ponting, as ever leading from the front even in a low-key glorified practice match such as this, needed to concentrate hard to come through a testing new ball spell by Steve Kirby.

But he was soon into his stride, hitting Liam Plunkett for four fours in an over and nine overall in a 61-ball 45 as he and Watson added 74 in 15 overs.

The Lions were fortunate, too, with the manner of Ponting's dismissal, with the Aussie captain unluckily getting a faint touch to an attempted pull at a short legside ball from Chris Woakes.

Hussey, however, came in to help Watson to add a further 87 for the third wicket and the Australians went into lunch at 163 for two from just 29 overs.

Watson, on 92 at lunch, had scored only three more runs when he drove firm-footed at Plunkett and edged behind. His fine array of strokes included a six, pulled off Woakes, and 15 fours.

Marcus North was brilliantly caught at point by Michael Carberry, one of four catches he took in the ring, as he slashed at Kirby and both Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee fell cheaply to Gary Keedy's teasing left-arm spin, chipping to mid-wicket and edging to slip respectively.

Hussey's 65 from 101 balls included 10 fours but the scoring rate slowed as the Lions battled back in the field and only 100 runs came in the afternoon session.

Carberry, at backward point, made his fourth catch look easy as Hussey thick-edged Woakes.

After some late resistance from Hauritz and Peter Siddle, who added 40 before the declaration, there were nine overs for Sayers and Stephen Moore to negotiate - which they did safely at 23 for no wicket.

Hussey said after his 65 at Canterbury today that Trott would be taking "a huge step up" if he makes his Test debut in the Ashes decider at the Oval next week.

The Australian said: "He will certainly know all about it if he makes his Test debut in that game. It's a huge step up, particularly in Ashes cricket.

"He's obviously playing very well and he's got a lot of confidence at the moment, and if he does play he