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Essex hit back via Westley, Bopara

Second-wicket pair flay Australian attack to all parts as runs flow in Chelmsford

Live Scorecard: Essex v Australia

Stand-in opener Tom Westley made a brilliant 144 and captain Ravi Bopara 86 not out in what was a wonderful fightback on day two for Essex against the touring Australians in Chelmsford.

At stumps, the hosts had fought back superbly to be 3-299 after Australia were bowled out right on lunch for 562.

Westley, promoted to the top of the order after regular opening batsman Nick Browne damaged a finger in the field, hit 19 fours and a six in his 134-ball hundred, and was particularly savage on off-spinner Nathan Lyon, whose first five overs cost him 54 runs.

He and Bopara combined for a superb 213-run stand that dominated the day and would doubtless have given England's batsman a few ideas as to the manner in which they might handle Australia's much-vaunted attack, who struggled to come to terms with the conditions. 

After Josh Hazlewood maintained a tidy line and length early on and Mitchell Starc erred somewhat from his recently lethal accuracy, Peter Siddle was for much of the day the only wicket-taker for the tourists. 

Mitchell Marsh (0-29 off four) couldn't back up his quality batting with the ball, and if it he was being scored against fellow allrounder Shane Watson (0-17 off six) with the ball, the veteran would have taken the points. 

Yet all of Australia's bowlers met stubborn resistance in the form of the Essex second-wicket pair after Jaik Mickleburgh was bowled by Siddle for 29.

Lyon was less expensive in his 14 overs after the tea interval but still conceded four runs per over as luck deserted the spinner; on another day, he might have had a stumping and a couple of balls might have fallen more favourably to fielders. 

Starc's tidy figures didn't reflect how erratic he was at times, with a series of four byes going against Peter Nevill despite the left-armer spraying those offerings wildly down leg side. 

He returned late to claim the wicket of Westley, bowled around the wicket, before nightwatchman Jamie Porter (0) was also cleaned up in the same fashion.

Video: Marsh, Siddle and Lyon entertained

Earlier, Marsh continued his eye-catching Ashes audition, scoring 169 as Australia were bowled out for 562.

Marsh has been running drinks for Australia since being dropped for Shane Watson during the World Cup.

Quick Single: Tides of Marsh pull Ashes into focus 

But having started his tour of England with back-to-back tons, the 23-year-old might be set for a role reversal when the Ashes start on Wednesday in Cardiff.

Darren Lehmann noted last week it would be a "tight" call as to whether Marsh or Watson featured in the series opener.

It became a whole lot tighter in Chelmsford, where Marsh dominated the early stages of the four-day fixture.

Quick Single: One step forward, two steps back for Aussies

The allrounder pushed the tourists from 4-204 to 9-489, with the four-hour dig finally ending on day two when Matt Salisbury uprooted his off stump.

"It's been great to get an opportunity," Marsh said after finishing day one on 136.

"I'm not putting any pressure on myself ... if you take enough wickets and make enough runs, the selectors are going to pick you at some stage.

"I'm just enjoying it and it's a privilege to be on this tour."

There was little more Marsh could have done to turn up the heat up on Watson during the UK's hottest July day on record.

The runs kept coming in cooler conditions on Thursday, when Marsh motored past 150 with a couple of sweetly timed drives.

"I think I have matured; the coach might not think the same thing," he said.

"As you grow up, I think you start making better decisions on and off the field."

There were lives on 13, 98 and 128.

But Watson, who scored 52 and chopped on a wide ball from Ryan ten Doeschate, also received a reprieve on 10.

Marsh's only big error was being responsible for a mix-up that ended Adam Voges' innings.

"I almost ran (Peter Nevill) out, too," he said.

"Maybe it's a few nerves ... I owe my Western Australia skipper a beer, I think."

Last week, Marsh blasted a 93-ball century against an impotent attack on a docile pitch, when the game against Kent had already become a glorified training session.

It was an incredible display of power hitting - Marsh reached triple figures by scoring 77 runs in the same time Watson managed five.

This time around, he was more respectful early as the contest still had a bit of sting in it after Michael Clarke's golden duck.

But that had well and truly changed on Thursday, when Peter Siddle and Nathan Lyon put on a final-wicket stand of 73 runs before lunch was taken.

Day One highlights

Video: Marsh dominated day one

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