Quick-fire hundreds highlight Australia's final two intra-squad warm-up games before T20 series against England begins this week
Marnus, Carey smash tons in final T20 tune-up
FULL SCORECARDS: FINCH XI V CUMMINS XI
Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey have put their hands up for top-order T20 berths against England after they both smashed rapid centuries in a practice-game run fest in Southampton on Tuesday.
In Australia's final tune-up before their limited-overs series begins on Friday night (early Saturday morning AEST), Labuschagne (100 off 51 balls) and Carey (107 off 60) put on a sizzling 181-run partnership against an attack featuring Pat Cummins and Adam Zampa.
Carey had his helmet rattled and his stem guard detached by a searing Cummins bouncer early in his innings but pushed on from the blow, extracting revenge when he hit the speedster for a stunning six over cover in the penultimate over of his side's innings.
Image Id: 4BD3BAF781BA42F9AA823D45C1F99456 Image Caption: Carey bounced back from this early knock to hit a century // GettyLabuschagne meanwhile did his hopes of a T20 International debut no harm, though he faces stiff competition for a batting spot after Aaron Finch, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis and Matthew Wade all fired in at least one of Tuesday's two intra-squad T20 games at the Ageas Bowl.
And although David Warner managed just one run in the two practice games, the opener is a lock at the top of Australia's T20 batting order.
On the bowling front, fringe quicks Daniel Sams and Andrew Tye impressed in both games while Ashton Agar took wickets in the first over of each match to put himself forward as a potential new-ball threat.
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Agar is battling Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon (who took four wickets in the second match) for a spin spot, while Sams and Tye are two of eight specialist fast bowlers in the extended 21-man squad.
In the eventful second T20 that saw 17 sixes hit, Labuschagne and Carey recovered from losing Finch for five in the first over of the game to see the 'Finch XI' post 3-229 from their 20 overs.
Smith (41 off 21) and Stoinis (68 off 37) were promoted to open and the duo had the Cummins XI on track for an unlikely run chase as they creamed 79 runs from the six-over Power Play.
But Smith's exit to a sharp-turning Lyon off-break prompted a collapse of 5-10 and when Stoinis (after belting four sixes) edged Josh Hazlewood behind, the result was all but decided despite some late fireworks from Agar (26 off 20) and Cummins (30 off 11).
Image Id: 2CF352182620412CBEED9B415775559F Image Caption: Carey and Labuschagne both made centuries in the second T20 // GettyLyon finished with 4-29 and Sams 3-35, while Tye was instrumental in the collapse having removing Mitch Marsh and Wade in consecutive deliveries.
In the first T20 earlier in the day, Finch played a match-winning hand while Wade also shone as the duo made brisk half-centuries.
Agar, who finished as the pick of the Cummins XI bowlers with 3-26 from four overs, clean bowled Warner on the first ball of the game after the left-hander attempted an expansive shot through the off-side.
Wade (50 off 33) and Finch (53 off 37) put on 103 for the second wicket at almost 10 runs an over to lay a strong platform, before Agar returned to dismiss Finch and Marsh (11 off 12).
Josh Hazlewood ran Labuschagne out with some sharp work off his own bowling as only Sams (23 off 15) made a meaningful middle-order contribution to help the Finch XI to 166 from their 20 overs.
In reply, Carey hit an unbeaten 43-ball 50 but the Cummins XI lost regular wickets to fall 23 runs short.
2020 Tour of England
Australia's T20 and ODI squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa
England squad: TBC
September 4: 1st T20, Southampton, 3am AEST Sept 5
September 6: 2nd T20, Southampton, 11.15pm AEST
September 8: 3rd T20, Southampton, 3am AEST Sept 9
September 11: 1st ODI, Old Trafford, 10pm AEST
September 13: 2nd ODI, Old Trafford, 10pm AEST
September 16: 3rd ODI, Old Trafford, 10pm AEST