Australians 308 for 8 dec (Watson 84, Hussey 75 ret ht) and 270 for 3 (McDonald 75, Hughes 68, Manou 59*, Watson 50) beat Northamptonshire 226 for 7 dec (Wakely 62, Wessels 50, Siddle 3-53) and 217 (O’Brien 58, McDonald 4-15) by 135 runs

The Australians have recorded their maiden first-class victory on this tour of England, but the path to a Test triumph appears more treacherous by the day. Another dispiriting performance from Mitchell Johnson has cast significant doubt over his mechanical and mental readiness for Edgbaston, and placed the one-time spearhead in grave danger of the axe.

Johnson conceded at least one boundary in each of his first six overs on Sunday; a streak that could have stretched to seven but for the negative tactic to bowl short and wide of the Northamptonshire batsmen in the closing stages of his spell. His main persecutor, Niall O’Brien, is more notable for his work behind the stumps for Ireland than his first-class average of 27.68, but the left-hander was made to look every bit the specialist batsman after thumping Johnson for seven of his nine boundaries en route to 58, scored in better than even time.

Johnson’s woes also extended to the field and he dropped Ben Howgego at mid-on off the bowling of Stuart Clark, but it was his analysis of 1 for 65 from 11.1 overs – ending a match in which he dismissed a solitary tailender, and conceded runs at close to six-per-over against a second-division county line-up – that might have tipped the selection scales against him. Demotion at Edgbaston would represent a stunning fall from grace for a bowler who, barely a month ago, arrived on these shores touted as the world’s most dangerous paceman and charged with leading Australia’s Ashes defence.

Entering the three-day match at Wantage Road, many observers felt Clark would duel with Peter Siddle for a sole pace berth at Edgbaston, only for the crosshairs to shift to Johnson as the match progressed. Siddle, curiously, bowled just four disciplined overs in the second innings, possibly indicating the desire of the Australians to keep him on ice for Edgbaston.

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