Australia draw in Worcester

Full scorecard

Missing Ashes strike weapons James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc, the Australian attack failed to fire enough shots to really trouble the second division county outfit on the final day.

The lifeless pitch at New Road made the going very tough for the likes of Ryan Harris and Jackson Bird, and it'll be interesting to see how much selectors read into their struggles in Worcester when settling on the arsenal for the first Test next week at Trent Bridge.

Heading into day four, Australia needed nine wickets and Worcestershire 394 runs to win.

At the close, the home side were 5-274 after 96 overs, 183 short of their target.

Bird bowled very well in the first innings (4-48) and Harris (2-60) took two in each dig.

Selectors were given glimpses of what both can offer, but their final call will come down more to gut instinct than what they've seen at New Road.

If Pattinson and Starc are certainties, then it'll come down to Peter Siddle, Bird and Harris for the final position in the attack.

James Faulkner (four for the match) will only play at Trent Bridge if Australia elect to go with four pace bowlers.

Faulkner claimed two wickets in the first session on Friday before Harris chipped in with one after lunch and another after tea.

Young spinner Ashton Agar (1-81) couldn't add to the wicket of Nick Compton he took late on day three, with Australia missing the work of first-choice Nathan Lyon.

Steve Smith and even Phil Hughes were thrown the ball out of desperation.

Smith sent down a short-pitched leg-spinner during the middle session that was pummelled into the back of the head of short-leg Ed Cowan, who was badly shaken up despite wearing a helmet.

The batsman laid a good platform with Michael Clarke making a second innings 124 and Hughes an 86, to go with Shane Watson's 109 from the first dig.