Cricket: Shocking day for Aussie bowlers

CHELMSFORD, England - Coach John Buchanan has spared his Australian cricket team public criticism after their latest uninspiring bowling and fielding effort conceded 502 runs in a day to a second-tier county side.

Ambushed by England's batsmen in the past three Ashes tests and now by Essex, Australia will mould their fifth test team around Glenn McGrath, provided the pace ace can recover from an elbow injury to play.

At a time when many think a coach's rocket might assist the Australians regain their winning edge before the decider at The Oval, which starts Thursday, Buchanan praised his fielders despite another shoddy effort and then claimed it had been useful for the bowlers to spend so much time in the middle.

Australia's long stay in the field last night (NZ time) clearly benefited division two side Essex, who made 502 for four on day one thanks largely to an epic 270-run stand between 20-year-olds Alastair Cook and Rahinder Bopara.

Cook made a majestic 214 and Bopara 135 and such was the ease of their scoring at the county ground, Australia delivered just seven maidens in 105 overs.

Buchanan believed the generous servings of wide and full bowling stemmed from the pressure all the Australian bowlers were under.

"Cricket's always an individual game dressed up in team clothing," said Buchanan, who has been fiercely loyal to his players this series.

"Individuals were striving to try to impress the selectors for test selection, so that's always a good thing in our cricket team -- that you're striving to do your best."

Legspinner Stuart MacGill would now be at long odds to play at The Oval after bowling 24 wicketless overs for 128.

The only successful bowlers were Michael Kasprowicz, two for 85, and Shaun Tait, two for 72.

Australia's best bowler was allrounder Shane Watson -- at Lord's -- who took three for 34 to help Hampshire beat Warwickshire in the domestic one-day final.

McGrath's elbow injury has him in doubt to play in the must-win test, but the back-up bowlers barely pressed their credentials in case the 35-year-old did not play.

On a lifeless pitch, the tourists claimed only one Essex wicket in the first two-and-a-half sessions, and their inability to trouble the batsmen would have delighted England's brains trust of coach Duncan Fletcher and captain Michael Vaughan.

But less than a week out from Australia's biggest test in years, Buchanan was also unperturbed by the lack of menace in the bowling attack behind McGrath and Shane Warne, who was rested.

"The reality is we would have liked not to have allowed that score," Buchanan said.

"It would have been nice for us to do much better in terms of taking wickets and having Essex out and us batting, but we didn't.

"What was relevant was that the bowlers got time out there. I think from a physical point of view it's been good, it was a long day out there and I think that's important out there.

"The bowling probably was our disappointment and I think definitely, we can rectify that come the beginning of the fifth test."

Australia will attempt to do the same with their fielding, as five times fielders had defensive pushes run underneath them or through their legs and to the boundary.

Yet Buchanan insisted the ground fielding had impressed him, and that the standard, mood and energy levels had all been high.

Australia are hopeful McGrath will bowl in the nets at Chelmsford tomorrow in a further step towards winning back his place, having missed the second (ankle) and fourth tests (elbow), which England won.

"Once we're more confident of where he's at, then I think other things will begin to fall into place," Buchanan said.

- AAP