Northants tie with Australians in dramatic finish

The Australians narrowly escaped a second limited-overs defeat of the week as their contest with Northamptonshire - the tourists' final warm-up match ahead of their NatWest Series opener - ended in a tie at Wantage Road.

Damien Martyn's unbeaten 101 boosted the tourists to 234-3 in 50 overs - the innings interrupted three times by blustery showers - and Northants were 234 all out in reply, with last man Jason Brown run out attempting the winning run off the final ball of a pulsating game in front of an excited full-house crowd of 4,500.

Martyn and Mark Waugh (88 not out) came to the rescue with an unbroken fourth-wicket stand worth 157 in 27 overs after Australia, put in to bat, lost acting-skipper Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds and Michael Bevan for 77.

Gilchrist bottom-edged an attempted pull at Darren Cousins into his stumps, and Cousins' next ball trapped Symonds leg-before as he pushed half-forward.

When Bevan chipped Tony Penberthy to mid-wicket the county side held the advantage, but Martyn (131 balls, 5 fours) and Waugh (89 balls, 8 fours) prevented any further alarms and gave the Australian bowlers something to defend.

Northants' run-chase was led by Mike Hussey, the Western Australia batsman whose central contract with the A.C.B. was not renewed last month. He made 73 from 106 deliveries and put on 64 with Alec Swann (24) to give his adopted side every chance of pulling off a victory.

Michael Bevan tilted the balance back in favour of Australia by dismissing Swann and Hussey in the space of four balls, and the game continued to ebb and flow until Northants arrived at the last over, bowled by Ian Harvey, needing three runs to win with three wickets in hand.

Lesroy Weekes scored two from the first ball and was run out off the second, and Harvey only conceded a solitary bye after that as Northants squandered their chance to emulate Middlesex by lowering the Australian colours.