Pain-free for the first time in more than six months, Mitchell Starc has promised Australia's bowlers will not give Alastair Cook a moment's peace in the middle, encouraged - but not made complacent - by the England captain's difficulties against left-arm

Nick Compton continued his good form against the Australians with 79 for Worcestershire before Jackson Bird's telling spell late in the day stated his claim for a Test place

Shane Watson has likened his new opening partnership with Chris Rogers to the union with Simon Katich that represented the most productive phase of his career

On the evidence of Shane Watson and Chirs Rogers' opening union at New Road, this might just become another triumph out of the chaos

Life is suddenly a whole lot less certain for Ed Cowan. For the past 18 months he has answered to the title of Test opening batsman, but Chris Rogers' promotion to join Shane Watson atop the order against England means Cowan must now scrap for another com

Like Australia coach Darren Lehmann, Chris Rogers has plenty of experience in English conditions. Unlike Lehmann, he will now get to use that knowledge in the Ashes

Chris Rogers has been confirmed as Shane Watson's opening partner for Australia in the first Investec Test against England at Trent Bridge

A "clean slate" under the Darren Lehmann regime and centre-wicket nets mean David Warner remains in serious contention for the first Ashes Test

Hughes has one thing in common with his coach - unorthodoxy. But Lehmann's presence should be useful in helping the left-hander deal with spin

Fluent knocks from Usman Khawaja and Phillip Hughes and a sparkling half-century from Brad Haddin led the Australians to a six-wicket win over Somerset

Less than a year ago, James Pattinson finished an ODI tour of England with mediocre results. A year on, he has used that experience to emerge as Australia's first choice among fast bowlers leading up to the Ashes

Several players have shown their desire to be part of Australia's team for the first Test against England with heartening displays at Taunton

Shane Watson has emphatically denied any part in calling David Warner to account for the night out in Birmingham with other Australian team-mates during the Champions Trophy that involved the punching of Joe Root and contributed to the sacking of the coac

Shane Watson is back opening the batting again as Australia's new coach Darren Lehmann reverts to the thinking favoured by a past captain, Ricky Ponting

Shane Watson followed James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc in providing a tantalising glimpse of the destructive power to be found within this Australian side as they warmed up against Somerset

Rotation or "informed player management" will still exist in the Australian team now coached by Darren Lehmann. But it will more likely be referred to as common sense

Shane Watson will open the batting for Australia in the first Test against England at Trent Bridge, the new national team coach, Darren Lehmann, has said

Nick Compton made 81 and Chris Jones a maiden first-class hundred before Somerset collapsed from 304 for 2 to 320 all out

Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards has given his chief executive James Sutherland the full support of the board, but there is no reason to believe that means what it usually does

To the tangible relief of the tour party, not to mention half of Australia, captain Michael Clarke is fit to play in his side's first warm-up match ahead of the Investec Ashes Tests