Agar, Marsh press case for Test spot

Ashton Agar and Shaun Marsh have pressed their cases for inclusion in Australia's Test XI with star performances on the opening day of an intra-squad practice match in Dubai.

Agar took 4-41 in 12.3 overs, while Marsh was the pick of the batsmen with 62 to underline his subcontinent batting credentials.

Australia's preparations for the India tour stepped up a notch on Friday at the ICC Academy in Dubai, with an intra-squad practice match pitting teammates against each other.

Scheduled as a three-day match it gave the Australian squad a break from the confines of the nets and put them in the field in a competitive environment, and although the playing conditions and make-up of the competing 'teams' were relaxed, the cricket was anything but.

Although the use of a plastic chair at short leg in lieu of putting a player in peril was more akin to the backyard 'automatic wickie' than international-standard cricket.

Shaun Marsh opened the batting with Matthew Renshaw – an interesting move with the two seemingly in direct competition to open alongside David Warner when the first Test gets underway on February 23 in Pune.

Renshaw batted well against the new ball attack of Jackson Bird and Mitchell Marsh, before retiring out after about a half-hour and heading to the adjacent nets for further work.

Steve Smith was caught behind off the bowling of Mitch Marsh, and Peter Handscomb was given leg before to Agar.

Glenn Maxwell came in at No.5 but didn't stay long – he came down the wicket to Steve O'Keefe and was stumped in a tidy bit of work by UAE wicketkeeper Saqlain Haider, who was filling in for Wade.

Haider filled in for the Australians in their 2014 tour match in nearby Sharjah against a Pakistani XI, and donned the gloves again today with Wade rested from keeping duties for this match. Wade remains on track to take the gloves in the official tour warm-up match in Mumbai next week, and warmed up with the team before heading to the nets when the match started.

Shaun Marsh tonked Agar for a big six and batted throughout the first session, which ended with Maxwell's wicket.

Marsh carried on accumulating against the spinners after an extended hour-long lunch break, and had reached 62 before he miscued a shot against Agar and sent a high catch for Lyon to pouch.

Agar then had Mitchell Starc well caught in a close position by Lyon, who grabbed it one-handed.

O'Keefe collected a second wicket when Josh Hazlewood holed out to Jackson Bird, and Swepson was the last man out, bowled by Agar to bring about tea.

In the final session, Warner and Usman Khawaja opened the batting and Bird – having switched sides to stay on the bowling team – picked up the wicket of Warner in his first over, edged behind to Handscomb with the gloves on.

Khawaja was joined by Mitch Marsh and that pair batted out the session until stumps, facing spin from Lyon, Maxwell and Swepson's leg-breaks.