Shane Watson will open the batting for Australia in the Ashes after the allrounder was given the full support of new coach Darren Lehmann.

Watson opened the batting for the Australians in their opening tour match against Somerset in Taunton on Wednesday, and that’s how it will stay for the big English summer ahead, with Chris Rogers and Ed Cowan most likely vying for the right to partner him.

An extraordinary late flurry of wickets in which Australia’s quicks took six wickets for no runs in the space of 29 balls saw the tourists fight back from a worrying position to bowl Somerset out for 320 on day one.

Australia were 0-2 at stumps after facing just one over.

Fast bowlers Mitchell Starc (4-33) and James Pattinson (4-56) starred with the ball, but the talking point was Watson.

The 32-year-old hasn’t opened in a Test match since November 2011 in South Africa, despite it being his preferred position.

In various other roles in the order he’s struggled for consistency but Lehmann has given Watson an assurance he’ll lead off for Australia in the first Test against England at Trent Bridge in two weeks time.

“Watson will open in the Test series, that’s no dramas for me at all,” said Lehmann.

“He’s been up and down the order but his most success has been as an opener.

“We’re quite keen for him to open and to have a big part in the Ashes.”

Watson didn’t bowl on Wednesday, but Lehmann said he would roll the arm over in Australia’s second tour game against Worcestershire next week.

With the bat, Watson averages 43 opening compared to his overall career average of 35, while his two Test centuries have also come at the top of the order.

Cowan and recalled veteran Rogers will now fight it out for the right to partner Watson in the first Test – unless Lehmann decides he wants Rogers at No.3.

Rogers has the runs on the board in English county cricket and is the favourite, but Cowan has the luxury of playing this match in Taunton.

Watson’s backing at the top makes it even more certain the suspended David Warner will move to the middle order if he can win a place for the first Test.

Lehmann said he wouldn’t speculate on other positions in his order, but made it clear he was looking for runs.

“If you perform you’ll have a chance to play in the first Test. We want to give everyone in our squad the opportunity to perform well in the tour games,” he said.

Lehmann was satisfied captain Michael Clarke’s back pulled up well in his first day’s cricket in three months.

The new coach said he was in heaven coaching the Australian team as a self-proclaimed cricket “nuffy”.

Lehmann liked what he saw out of Nathan Lyon (1-75) early, but wants more consistency.

He said there was no injury drama with Ryan Harris and that he and Jackson Bird would both get a bowl in the second tour match against Worcestershire.

Lehmann praised James Faulkner’s (1-70) competitive spirit, but said the bowling allrounder would need runs to secure a spot.

“He’s a competitor … that’s how we want to play all our games,” he said.

“We know we need to get some runs out of him if he’s going to play so he gets that opportunity here.”