Ormond no child's play for Taylor

The Australians 220-8 v Leicestershire

A curtailed day at Grace Road was still long enough to revive the demons within Mark Taylor and to introduce another prospect from the underestimated England youth system. James Ormond, a strapping England Under-19 international, should have been taking a rest yesterday but an injury to David Millns brought him an unexpected chance to increase the touring team's discomfort.

Figures of 6 for 54 in 20 overs in only his fourth first-class match gave Ormond a dream of a day. Moving the ball both ways in ideal conditions, the 19-year-old bowled with enough accuracy to bowl Ricky Ponting, Ian Healy and, most spectacularly, Taylor, with Mark Waugh deemed lbw padding up to one that shot back. All his six victims were Test players, and it will be of little comfort to the Australians that the Coventry-born 19- year-old has benefited from a winter playing grade cricket for Sydney University.

"I didn't expect it to swing that much," Ormond said. "I bowled some rubbish and some jaffas. I'm just pleased I could do my bit to soften them up for Thursday." None more so than Taylor - "that was the best" - who played something extravagant through midwicket and lost his middle stump to a fast, swinging yorker. After the personal catharsis of Edgbaston, it was certainly not the continued rehabilitation the left-hander had in mind for his first innings free of prying television cameras and English reporters. The inquisition might not be over just yet.

Only Ponting, of the Australian batsmen on view, enhanced his case for inclusion on Thursday. In contrast to Michael Slater, who continues to play like a millionaire on days made for misers, he looked compact and well-organised. His shot selection was sound and two successive hooks for four off the wayward Alan Mullally, one behind square, one in front, were shots of the highest class on a typical Grace Road green 'un.

Steady drizzle delayed the start for three hours and, when play did begin, with Australia unhesitatingly put in by the county champions, the conditions cried out for patience. But Slater, having taken two nonchalant fours off the opening over, followed his captain back to the pavilion, another flashing off- drive caught well low down by Iain Sutcliffe in the covers.

Michael Bevan and Healy were promoted to give the Test lower middle order some muchneeded practice. But Bevan found the honour a mixed blessing, soon hooking the gentle medium-pace of Vince Wells to Sutcliffe at mid- wicket. His long, slow, walk back betrayed his angst and, though his left- arm spin should ensure a place in the Second Test, Ponting's progress at the other end would have done his morale little good.

The Tasmanian reached an impressively unobtrusive fifty in 103 balls, the only Australian batsman to get the measure of Ormond, and it was a major surprise when he played on to the young Leicestershire seamer shortly after tea. By then, Ormond, broad-chested and with a high, fluent, action, was in the middle of his most impressive spell of the day. Within 31 balls, he took the wickets of Ponting, Healy (both played on), Mark Waugh and Brendon Julian at the cost of just 17 runs.

Only a touch of frivolity by Shane Warne, whose batting has been more impressive than his bowling on the tour so far, took Australia past the 200 mark.

Dingy days, inspired swing bowling and young men anxious to make a name for themselves... the Australians must be wondering if their luck will take a turn for the better by Thursday.