Hauritz still in the mix

Getty Images ©

Australia coach Tim Nielsen says he would be confident in off-spinner Nathan Hauritz delivering the goods should the tourists decide to play him in the first Test at Cardiff starting on Wednesday.

Hauritz is in a battle with veteran quick Stuart Clark for the final berth in Australia's attack as selectors ponder the merits of taking in an out-of-form spinner into a Test match, albeit on a wicket expected to take turn.

Selectors will wait until they see the wicket in Cardiff before choosing the XI but if they decide to pick an all-pace attack, part-timers Marcus North, Simon Katich and Michael Clarke will perform the spinning duties.

"We've spoken about it the whole way through, we won't know until we get to Cardiff," Nielsen said when asked what the make-up of Australia's attack would be.

"We've spoken about it the whole way through. No point saying that (four quicks) if we turn up and it's a green top or vice versa."

Hauritz finished with the unflattering figures of 2-260 from 68.2 overs in Australia's two tour matches.

He made little impact in the first innings at Worcester when the England Lions attacked him but was more economical on Saturday as the footmarks became more pronounced.

England Test hopeful Ian Bell was his only wicket in the match.

Nielsen defended Hauritz, saying the spinner had improved throughout each of Australia's tour games.

"(There's) no point taking 12 wickets in two games here and being over-ripe for the Test," he said.

"He's comfortable with how his game is progressing and I feel he's got better and better."

Nielsen said the decks produced in Hove and Worcester were unresponsive to spin, but also expected similar conditions in Cardiff.

Hauritz would have been encouraged by his rhythm, variation and ability to extract turn out of the rough to the left-handers, Nielsen said.

"Their Test match squad usually has three left-handers to finish their order off and two at the top, so an off-spinner would be pretty handy in that regard," he said.