Australia recovered from a shaky start as they finished the first day of their Ashes tour opener against Sussex on 349 for seven on Wednesday.
Australia had been in trouble at 114 for five after South African seamer Pepler Sandri marked his Sussex debut with three top-order wickets, having failed to take one in three games for Sussex club side Hastings.
But a sixth-wicket stand of 114 between wicket-keeper Brad Haddin (69) and Michael Clarke (45) checked Sussex’s progress.
Both men fell in the space of four balls but bowlers Brett Lee (47 not out) and Nathan Hauritz (65 not out) then added an unbroken 117 against a tiring Sussex attack.
Haddin showed his class as a batsman by striking spinner Ollie Rayner for a straight six, but the bowler had the last laugh when Haddin was caught by Sandri at mid-on. And soon afterwards Rayner dismissed Clarke caught and bowled.
Sandri, having removed Phil Hughes before lunch, accounted for Simon Katich shortly afterwards as Australia lost three wickets for one run in 10 balls.
Left-hander Katich was on course for a half-century when he edged a cut off a full-length Sandri delivery and was taken at slip by Michael Yardy for 49.
Two balls later Michael Hussey (32) was lbw to James Kirtley and, in Sandri’s next over, Marcus North, on one, nicked one to wicket-keeper Andrew Hodd.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who won the toss, saw opener Hughes plunder three off-side fours in the first over of the match from Kirtley.
Australia have one more tour match, against the England Lions, before the first Ashes Test starts in Cardiff on July 8.
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