AUSTRALIA finished their final Ashes warm-up strongly at New Road yesterday. Mitchell Johnson, playing his first match with the Duke ball, claimed two wickets while Brett Lee plucked out Vikram Solanki's leg stump with a terrific inswinger.

Ricky Ponting also spoke glowingly of Steve Harmison, who played a big part in Phil Hughes and Ponting having a quiet game to bring himself back into contention for England selection. “He is one of the best fast bowlers around,” he said. “He has pace, bounce and height and has the makings of an all-time great.”

Earlier, the touring team batted through the first session without losing a wicket, adding 162 and giving more batting time to Marcus North, who finished 191 not out, Mike Hussey, who retired on 62 with a conveniently sore foot, and Brad Haddin, unbeaten on 25, before Ponting declared on 438 for four.

Although they did not dismiss their opponents in the last two sessions, the Australians rattled the cages of the England Lions before the game ended slightly earlier than expected at 5.05pm when umpire Jeff Evans, 63, was taken ill. He appeared to suffer a dizzy spell, though he eventually walked off unaided.

The Australians are convinced the ball will reverse swing in Cardiff and much of their time here was spent experimenting with how best to create this effect with the Duke ball. Johnson, having missed the game at Hove, looked rusty in the first innings but sharper yesterday and had Stephen Moore well held by Ponting in the slips and Joe Denly caught behind.

What may worry him is that he has yet to shape the ball back into the right-hander in the way he managed in South Africa. The Denly wicket may have had a hint of reverse swing to it. Lee’s removal of Solanki certainly did. It would have gladdened the heart of Troy Cooley, England’s fast bowling coach in 2005 and now Australia’s, who will reckon Lee is potentially the best reverse-swinger on either side.

Ponting's bowling changes revealed all. North was given five overs before tea and Simon Katich five after. They will do the spin bowling in the Test rather than Nathan Hauritz.

Hauritz had the satisfaction of removing Ian Bell for 20 but Bell was largely to blame, turning the ball off his legs only to find it sinking into the palm of Katich, diving to his right. Ponting also gave Stuart Clark an early bowl, an indication that Clark is in line to complete an attack of four fast bowlers.

Eyes were also cast off the field as England's selectors met with Andrew Strauss in an executive box to discuss their Test squad. The meeting lasted two hours over lunch and the main issue was believed to be the identity of a fourth seamer, either Graham Onions or Harmison. Maybe they should have asked Ponting.

Australians

First Innings 358 (M E K Hussey 150, S M Katich 95; S J Harmison 4-80)

Second Innings (o/nt 276-4)
P J Hughes c Morgan b Harmison 8
S M Katich c Moore b Rashid 37
R T Ponting c Rashid b Harmison 15
M J North not out 191
M J Clarke c Onions b Solanki 80
M E K Hussey ret hurt 62
B J Haddin not out 25
Extras (b 11, lb 8, nb 1) 20
Total (4 wkts dec, 103 overs) 438

Fall: 1-17, 2-41, 3-90, 4-260

Bowling: Onions 19-2-74-0; Harmison 17-3-55-2; Mahmood 18-2-56-0; Bresnan 18-5-60-0; Rashid 22-2-109-1; Solanki 5-0-32-1; Denly 4-0-33-0

England Lions

First Innings 352 (S C Moore 120, A U Rashid 66, J L Denly 66, S M Davies 53, B Lee 6-76)

Second Innings
J L Denly c Haddin b Johnson 36
S C Moore c Ponting b Johnson 16
*I R Bell c Katich b Hauritz 20
V S Solanki b Lee 28
E J G Morgan not out 28
†S M Davies not out 18
Extras (b 4, lb 11, nb 1)16
Total (4 wickets, 47.2 overs)162

Fall: 1-29, 2-62, 3-105, 4-115

Bowling: Johnson 9-2-48-2; Lee 8-1-38-1; Clark 8-2-11-0; North 5-0-17-0; Hauritz 12.2-4-22-1; Katich 5-0-11-0

Umpires: J H Evans and J W Lloyds