Mike Hussey came back to form with his first century in nine months on a day when several Australia top-order batsmen failed in their final warm-up game before the Ashes. Hussey made 143 not out on the first day of the four-day tour match with the England Lions, the national ‘A' side, here at New Road on Wednesday as Australia reached 337 for eight at stumps. After a devastating new ball spell by Stephen Harmison, Hussey, approaching his first Ashes series in England at the age of 34, helped rescue Australia with a 141-run stand alongside opener Simon Katich (95). Australia had lost four wickets for 32 runs to be 215 for six at tea after Katich, Clarke (four), Marcus North (one) and Brad Haddin (seven) all succumbed in quick succession. Cooks blasts a century Alastair Cook was a contented man after making a century as he alone among England's batsmen seized the chance on Wednesday for useful match practice ahead of next week's first Ashes Test. The Essex left-handed opener's 124 was the centerpiece of England's disappointing 290 for eight declared against Warwickshire at Edgbaston on the first day of their specially arranged three-day warm-up match. England lost five wickets for 77 runs and Warwickshire, without several members of its first-choice bowling attack, were 31 for one at stumps.
