Australia warmed up in impressive fashion for the second npower Test match with England despite declining the chance to force victory in the tour game with Worcestershire at New Road.

The tourists bowled out their hosts for 187 in 44 overs despite the absence of the rested Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne but took the opportunity for further batting practice rather than enforcing the follow-on, meaning the match ended in a draw.

Jason Gillespie, who is likely to retain his place for the second Test starting on Thursday, was able to put in a spell of 12 overs which brought him figures of two for 45 even though it was Michael Kasprowicz (five for 67) who did most of the damage.

Australia skipper Ricky Ponting could have enforced the follow-on with Worcestershire 219 in arrears and still a possible 51 overs remaining.

However, they chose to bat again and were 161 for two at the end of the match having declared their first innings at 406 for nine.

Michael Clarke took advantage with a 44-ball half-century and Ponting, although clearly not at his most fluent, dug in to make a fighting 50 in a clear statement of intent ahead of the Edgbaston showdown with Michael Vaughan's side.

Worcestershire had been held together by opener Stephen Moore's 69 which left him only 59 runs short of completing 1,000 first-class runs for a second-successive season.

But only skipper Vikram Solanki (36), who helped Moore add 85 in 19 overs for the fourth wicket, offered much support and the innings went into rapid decline in the afternoon session.

Shaun Tait's previous experience of bowling in England last summer had brought him figures of none for 176 from 18 overs in two county championship appearances for Durham.

But he looked sharp when sharing the new ball with Gillespie and a yorker undid Worcestershire opener Stephen Peters, trapped lbw, before he had troubled the scorers.

Gillespie struck twice in successive overs with Graeme Hick (21) caught behind by reserve wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and Ben Smith falling to a superb catch by Brad Hodge at point.

Moore could also have fallen cheaply, edging Tait in between Haddin and Ponting at first slip when on six, but he then reeled off a series of impressive drives on his way to 50 off 55 balls with eight fours.

Worcestershire lunched at 125 for three and Kasprowicz failed to take a wicket in his initial spell of 7-1-35-0 but he was a different proposition after the interval.

Solanki played away from his body at a wideish ball and was caught behind and Zander de Bruyn (four) clipped him straight to Simon Katich at mid-wicket.

It was Tait who returned to account for Moore who got tangled up trying to play a short delivery and spooned a gentle catch to Matthew Hayden at gully.

But then Kasprowicz quickly polished off proceedings, having Kabir Ali (four) caught at second slip, bowling Ray Price (one) when playing back and holding on to a return catch offered by Nadeem Malik (16).

With leg spinner Stuart MacGill accounting for Matt Mason (nine), Worcestershire had lost their last seven wickets for 54 runs in the space of 13 overs.

Clarke looked impressive in reaching 58 before being run out by Stephen Peters' throw to deep mid-wicket after being sent back by Ponting when setting off for a second run.

Hodge (21) was bowled by de Bruyn but Ponting, after taking 22 balls to get off the mark, grafted away to make a half-century off 101 deliveries with six fours and a six.