Ashes 2015: Australia's Steve Smith fails in Northants draw

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Steve SmithImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Steve Smith has scored 26 runs in his past five innings

Tour match, Northampton, day three of three:

Northants 396: Crook 142 not out, Coetzer 86, M Marsh 4-56

Australia 312-9 dec: Cummins 82 not out, M Marsh 68, Crook 3-38

Match drawn

Australia Test captain-elect Steve Smith fell for a duck as his side drew their rain-affected three-day tour match against Northants.

Maurice Chambers had Smith caught behind off the 12th ball of the day after Australia resumed on 13-1.

The tourists slipped to 87-5 before Mitchell Marsh's 68 and Pat Cummins' unbeaten 82 carried them to 312-9.

Australia face England in the final Ashes Test at The Oval starting on Thursday, having lost the series.

Smith, 26, who was this week named as Michael Clarke's successor as Test captain after the Ashes, has not scored more than eight in his past five innings.

Marsh, dropped for the fourth Test, hit 11 fours and a six to complement his figures of 4-56 on the second day, while Cummins added 98 for the ninth wicket with Nathan Lyon, who made 41.

Australia-born Steven Crook claimed 3-38 for Northants a day after he scored a career-best 142 not out.

The Aussies rested five players, including the three-man pace attack of Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, from the side that lost the fourth Test and the Ashes at Trent Bridge.

Steve Smith's Test batting figures

Matches

Runs

Average

Highest score

Centuries

Career

32

2,952

54.66

215

10

2015 Ashes

4

365

45.62

215

1

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