Michael Clarke wicket caps Will Davis’s Derbyshire debut

First-choice wicketkeeper Brad Haddin will push his claims for a recall for Edgbaston next Wednseday after time out for personal problems in a touring XI also including his understudy Peter Nevill.

Davis and fellow Derbyshire debutant Harry White shared five wickets in their maiden first-class innings.The 19-year-old Davis led the attack with three for 63, dismissing both Adam Voges and Peter Nevill for one.

There were timely reminders from Shaun Marsh and Shane Watson, while David Warner scored a ton as Australia made 413-9 against Derbyshire.

The tourists were without injured opener Chris Rogers, while talismanic batsman Steve Smith and pace trio Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were rested after starring in the crushing 405-run victory over England that levelled the Investec Series.

Derbyshire may have been regretting their decision to leave left-arm paceman Mark Footitt out of the side as their bowlers toiled, with Warner bringing up his 50 off just 55 balls following a mis-field at mid-off.

Derby’s low-slung county ground was once a place of indifferent achievement by Donald Bradman, who never made a hundred here in four innings. Between times, Shane Watson vented his recent frustration by bashing 61 runs from 45 balls, including five to the boundary and four over it.

Equally they have shown they are unwilling to take any chances with head injuries, emphasised by their benching the Middlesex player for the Tests in the Caribbean last month after he was concussed. It proved to be a false dawn, though, as he fended Davis to Tom Knight at second slip to depart for 16.

Clarke has scored just two hundreds in his past 26 Test innings, but Marsh said: “He’ll be fine”.

Haddin made 32 batting at No8 until he was bowled charging Tony Palladino, after Mitchell Marsh had been caught behind for 53 from White. “To be honest, there’s not too many guys who can play like David Warner, so I just worry about playing my game and sticking to my strengths and hopefully that works”.

“It was nice to get out there and get some runs after the last couple of weeks”, said Marsh after the Australians went for 7-413 at stumps.

The England and Wales Cricket Board, meanwhile, have not demanded that a livelier pitch be produced for the third Test, according to Edgbaston groundsman Gary Barwell.

Jon Clare was playing his first first-class match for two years. Clarke wore a helmet with the neck guard that had helped prevent Rogers from suffering a heavier blow from Anderson, and looked intent on a longer stay than he had managed in either of the first two Tests. “I’m just making sure I’m ready to go and doing everything I can to score runs”.