HOBART: England's second string bowling attack dismissed Australia A for 230 on the first day of their four-day match Wednesday, sustaining the momentum of its Ashes cricket tour and causing further concern for Australia's selectors. Chris Tremlett took 4-54 and Ajmal Shahzad 3-57 as England – without Test bowlers Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, James Anderson and Graeme Swann – won the toss, bowled and then ended Australia A's first innings in 80.1 overs. England was 22-1 at stumps with Alistair Cook 10 not out and nightwatchman Monty Panesar 2 not out. Andrew Strauss, who scored centuries in each of England's first two tour matches, was out for 10. Australia's selectors are looking to the current match to provide form indications which will help them trim their 17-man squad in time for the first test which starts at Brisbane on Nov. 25. The squad was named Monday with the proviso the selectors, under chairman Andrew Hilditch, would use the tour match and the current round of domestic first-class matches to finally assess individual form. They weren't helped that young batsmen Usman Khawaji and Callum Ferguson – the principal subjects of the selectors' interest in Hobart – were both out cheaply. Both failed on a greenish pitch. Ferguson was out for 7 and Khawaja for 13 as Australia A slumped to 75-5 by lunch after being sent in to bat. The innings was revived by another Australian squad member, leg-spinner Steve Smith, who unexpectedly prospered with the bat in making 59, while Steve O'Keefe, who is not in the Australian squad, top-scored with 66. Tremlett claimed the wickets of former test opener Phil Hughes for 2 and O'Keefe while Shahzad had Khawaja caught behind. Hussey fails again Embattled Australian Test batsman Mike Hussey's best case for an Ashes berth might be the lack of in-form alternatives after he was among a large number of incumbents and hopefuls to fail in matches around the country Wednesday. Hussey's duck for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield match against Victoria in Melbourne continued his lean trot, putting himself under increasing pressure to retain his place in next week's Ashes opener against England at the Gabba. But Hussey was far from alone on a day that would have buoyed England's confidence of winning an Ashes series in Australia for the first time in 24 years. While Michael Clarke is resting with a back injury, the other five members of Australia's most recent Test top seven, plus wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, were all dismissed cheaply. Simon Katich (1), Shane Watson (6), Ricky Ponting (7) and Marcus North (17) and Haddin (10) all failed to get in beneficial batting time in Shield matches in Melbourne and Sydney. Katich also suffered a shoulder injury. Returning to first class cricket action after a thumb injury he sustained on the recent tour of India, made one run for New South Wales before hurting himself in the field and failing to come out to open the second innings. “He dived in the field and jarred up his shoulder,” Australia team physio Alex Kountouris told the Cricket Australia website (www.cricket.com.au). “It was quite painful, as they are. He's in (the dressing room) icing up. It's always a worry but it doesn't look to be a serious injury. If he wakes up tomorrow morning and can't lift his arm it would be a worry but I'm not expecting that to happen. I expect he will be okay.”
