Australia scale first win in England by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	Northamptonshire v Australians
Player:	PJ Hughes, SR Watson, SR Clark
Event:	Australia in British Isles 2009

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DateLine: 27th July 2009

 

Australia recorded their maiden first-class victory on this tour of England beating Northamptonshire by 135 runs but Mitchell Johnson's woes now casts serious doubts over his inclusion for the Edgbaston Test.

 

Johnson gave away at least one boundary in each of his first six overs on Sunday. His main punisher, Niall O'Brien, thumped Johnson for seven of his nine boundaries en route to 58, scored in better than even time.

 

Johnson finished with 1 for 65 from 11.1 overs, his only wicket being that of a tailender. These numbers against a county side might have tipped the selection scales against him. If he faces the axe at Edgbaston, that would be a stunning fall from grace for a bowler who, barely a month ago, arrived on these shores touted as the world's most dangerous paceman.

 

Clark though on the other hand enhanced his selection chances with two wickets. Clark might well have made a greater impact in the wickets column if not for the dropped catches from Johnson and Phillip Hughes. He nonetheless appears poised to provide the Australian attack with the pressure-building accuracy it lacked in the two Ashes Tests to date.

 

Australia's allrounders, Shane Watson and Andrew McDonald, did their future selection prospects no harm, with Watson belting his second half-century of the match in the morning session - this one raised in just 28 deliveries - and McDonald claiming 4 for 15 from 11 overs.