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London: These are worrying times for the Australians. A flat final day performance on a flat Hove pitch has given Ricky Ponting few signposts as to the composition of his best bowling attack 11 days out from the first Test in Cardiff.
Only seven Sussex wickets fell on Saturday - a concerning development for a team containing five specialist bowlers - as Carl Hopkinson, making his maiden first-team appearance this season, raised a stirring century that ensured a draw, and almost forced a famous victory.
The only comforting thought for Ponting ahead of the practice match against Ian Bell's England Lions on Wednesday is the availability of Mitchell Johnson, the ace in Australia's pack.
Australia coach Tim Nielsen said he was satisfied with his side's workout after seeing the tourists held to a draw by Sussex on Saturday at Hove.
Carl Hopkinson top-scored for Sussex with 115 but they could only manage 373/7 after being set a target of 418 when Australia declared their second innings on 379/7.
Australia had declared at 349/7 in their first innings, after which Sussex were bowled out for 311.
"We haven't played a four or five-day game since March and this game was all about getting back into the swing of things," Nielsen said.
"We got two lots of 80 overs under our belt and apart from Marcus North our batsmen spent some decent time in the middle. It has been a positive week for us.
"We can certainly improve but I'd rather be looking to do that with another tour game to go rather than heading into the first Test.
Having opened their tour, the Australians now head up to Worcester to face England Lions starting on Wednesday.
Hopkinson stole the show on Saturday as the 27-year-old made the most of his chance, having come into the Sussex team on the back of a pair of second-team centuries, before he finally fell to Ben Hilfenhaus after making the only ton of the match.
Hilfenhaus then snared Robin Martin-Jenkins with a yorker as the hosts gave their victory bid everything on the back of an impressive start by openers Mike Yardy and Chris Nash, who made 87 in 24 overs.
Yardy raced to his 50 off just 55 balls, hitting ten fours, but home momentum faded when Nash sliced a drive to backward point off Peter Siddle.
Come lunch and Australian skipper Ricky Ponting brought in off-spinners Nathan Hauritz and North, who made the second breakthrough in having Yardy push forward to allow Michael Clarke to take the catch at slip.
Ed Joyce, the last England player to score a hundred against the Australians in a One-Day International in Sydney in 2007, made a swift 34 but pushed forward as North claimed a second wicket in the 50th over.
Brett Lee then removed Rory Hamilton-Brown for the second time in the match for just a single, leg before wicket.
Sussex began the final session needing 181 as Hopkinson and Luke Wright made a stand of 81 in 13 overs, a new fifth-wicket Sussex record for this fixture, bettering Tony Greig and Peter Kirsten's 72 in 1975.
Hauritz saw Hopkinson reprieved on 69 when Ponting dropped him but then took out Wright.
Hopkinson completed his century by driving North through the leg side for a 12th boundary but then fell caught behind by Brad Haddin off Hilfenhaus to depart after facing 138 balls in just under three hours, his knock including 14 fours and three sixes
Brief Score: Australians 349 for 7 dec (Haddin 69, Hauritz 65*) and 379 for 7 dec (Hughes 78, Clarke 75, Ponting 71) drew with Sussex 311 and 373 for 7 (Hopkinson 115, Yardy 67).
