James Faulkner has broken through with two wickets on the final day of Australia’s tour match against Worcestershire at New Road.
Worcestershire are 3-136 at lunch on day four, and require another 321 runs for victory.
The tenacious Tasmanian left-armer has figures of 2-11 from 10 overs with two five maidens to keep him in the frame for the first Test should Australia look to play a five-man bowling attack.
The Australian quicks found the going tough early, on what has been a lifeless pitch all the way through the match.
First Test hopefuls Jackson Bird (0-29) and Ryan Harris (0-31) are both wicketless in the second innings.
Ashton Agar (1-48) made the first breakthrough of the innings late on day three, when he invited dumped England opener Nick Compton down the wicket, only to have him stumped.
In a positive sign for the Australians, Shane Watson is getting through his overs without pain.
Having the allrounder bowl in the Ashes would be a massive advantage.
Watson had the tidy figures of 0-9 from six overs.
The Australians are on track to win the match to continue their momentum into the first Test at Trent Bridge starting next week.
Victory was set up by the batsmen, with Michael Clarke making a second-innings 124 and Phil Hughes 86, to go with Shane Watson’s 109 from the first dig.