Australia Tail Recover After Sandri Strikes Against Sussex

Hove: 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 (119b, 7x4, 3x6) and Michael Clarke 45 (78b, 4x4, 1x6) checked Sussex's progress.

Both men fell in the space of four balls but bowlers Brett Lee unbeaten 47 (80b, 5x4, 1x6) and Nathan Hauritz 65 (not out in 78 balls with 12 boundaries) 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.

Sandri, having dismissed Phillip Hughes before lunch, removed Simon Katich for 49 shortly afterwards as Australia lost three wickets for one run in 10 balls.

Left-hander Katich was on course for a fifty when he edged a cut off a full-length Sandri delivery and was taken at slip by Michael Yardy.

Two balls later Michael Hussey (32) was lbw to James Kirtley and, in Sandri's next over, Marcus North, on one, nicked through 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.

But the opener, who had a brilliant early season spell with English county side Middlesex, was out for 15 when he was bowled middle-stump on the drive by a full-length delivery from Sandri, who finished the day with three wickets for 73 runs from his 13 overs.

Hughes's exit brought Ponting to the crease and the Tasmanian punched two cover-drives off the backfoot in trademark fashion to go to eight.

But Ponting was then out when he edged a lifting ball from Luke Wright through to Hodd.

Australia have one more tour match, against the England Lions, before the first Ashes Test starts in Cardiff on July 8.

Brief Score: Australian XI 349 for 7 (Haddin 69, Hauritz 65*, PSE Sandri 3-73) v Sussex

Scores	Upcoming	Results
South Africa vs Pakistan - 3rd ODI 4th Test - Australia v India - December 26-30, 23:30 GMT 1st Test - Zimbabwe v Afghanistan - December 26-30, 07:30 GMT 3rd ODI - Zimbabwe v Afghanistan at Harare Afghanistan won by 8 wickets (with 139 balls remaining) 3rd T20I - West Indies v Bangladesh at St Vincent Bangladesh won by 80 runs

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