Australian captain Ricky Ponting made an unbeaten half-century to complete his side's successful work-out against Worcestershire, as the three-day tour match petered to a draw.

Ponting finished on 59 in Australia's second-innings total of 2-161 before he and opposite number Vikram Solanki agreed to declare the match a draw 45 minutes before the scheduled finish.

The world champions, who bundled the home side out for 187 in 44 overs on Monday, led by 380 runs when the match ended.

Apart from a first day lost to rain, Australia got just about everything it needed from this clash before the second Test against England, starting at Edgbaston on Thursday.

Openers Matthew Hayden (79) and Justin Langer (54) posted a century stand in Australia's first innings total of 9(dec)-406, before pacemen Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz showed they had overcome their sluggish starts to the tour with the ball.

Gillespie bowled well in 12 overs before lunch taking 2-45, before Kasprowicz mopped up the Worcestershire innings with five wickets in eight overs after lunch.

The Queenslander finished with 5-67, although Gillespie's good showing makes it hard to see Australia altering its attack for Edgbaston.

Ponting opted not to enforce the follow-on and he and Michael Clarke opened in the second innings and posted 80 in a stand that was only brought undone by a mix-up that left Clarke run out for 58.

Ponting, who made 20 in the first innings, scratched around for a lot of his 113-ball knock, and took 22 balls to get off the mark.

Australia also got some good contributions from the players who did not take part in the first Test win at Lord's.

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