Ponting and Hussey warm up with centuries

Australians 436 (Hussey 132, Ponting 116, Paine 52*, Footitt 3-68) v Derbyshire
Scorecard

It wasn't the strongest attack the Australians will ever face, but Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey still enjoyed the chance to reacquaint themselves with the red Duke ball and struck centuries at Derby. In their only warm-up game before next week's Lord's Test against Pakistan, spending time in the middle was the main aim for Australia, who made 436 on the first day of the two-day encounter.

Ponting and Hussey combined for a 210-run partnership and for most of the time they were in cruise control against a bowling group with limited first-class experience. Ponting's troubles with the hook continued when he was dropped by Matt Higginbottom at fine leg on 79, and while he nailed several pulls and hooks he also mistimed a few.

On the whole, Ponting enjoyed his first outing at the Derby ground, which was the only major county venue at which he had not previously played. He brought up his hundred from 125 balls with a six top-edged over the wicketkeeper's head and soon afterwards retired out on 116 to allow his colleagues to bat after the teams agreed to a 100-over maximum for the innings.

Hussey was in sublime form during a chanceless 132 from 140 deliveries that brought back memories of the years he spent mauling county attacks before he broke into Australia's Test team. Again, Hussey was in his element, driving sixes over long-on, piercing the gaps with ease and using his feet well to the spinners.

Eventually, he was caught on the long-on boundary off the spin of Jake Needham, but not before he had taken 20 off one of Needham's overs. Tim Paine wasn't quite as fast with his scoring but will be glad to have registered a half-century ahead of his Test debut; he finished unbeaten on 52 as the Australians were bowled out in the final over of the afternoon.

Not all of the Australians made the most of the day, though. Marcus North, who has been at home in Perth while the one-day players were in action, worked his way to 21 before he was bowled trying to sweep Needham.

The left-arm new-ball pairing of Mark Footitt and Atif Sheikh proved difficult for the top order, which might give Mohammad Aamer confidence for the Tests. Sheikh, who in his only first-class game sent down 14 no-balls, began by trapping Shane Watson lbw for 5 in his first over and followed with Simon Katich (22) caught at gully.

Michael Clarke fell for 1 when he was bowled by Footitt and at 48 for 3, Australia were struggling. Things became easier later in the day, and Steven Smith had fun compiling a quick 48 off 43 balls before he was cleaned bowled going for a cross-bat hoick off the seamer Higginbottom.

All eyes will be on Ben Hilfenhaus on the second day, as he prepares for his first Test since November, when he was struck down with knee tendonitis. The first task for the bowlers will be to remove Derbyshire's classiest batsman, their captain Chris Rogers, who played one Test for Australia in January 2008 and famously made 219 for Leicestershire against Ponting's Ashes tourists in 2005.