Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen made fluent half-centuries to lift England to 256 for four at the close on the second day of the tour match against New South Wales on Monday.
Replying to the hosts' 355 for nine declared, England overcame the early loss of Marcus Trescothick to enjoy some much-needed batting practice with the start of the first Ashes test just 10 days away.
Strauss made 50, Cook 59, Pietersen 80 not out and captain Andrew Flintoff an unbeaten 48, with Trescothick (eight) and Ian Bell (nought) the only batsmen to miss out.
"The boys have done fantastically well today," Pietersen told reporters. "The bowlers went really well, definitely improving and it was great to score some runs.
Trescothick dragged a wide ball from Brett Lee on to his stumps, but Strauss looked comfortable from the start, driving and cutting Lee and his Australia team mate Glenn McGrath for boundaries in the early overs.
The left-hander was out almost immediately, however, brilliantly caught one-handed off his own bowling by Clark, and Bell nicked his second ball to wicketkeeper Daniel Smith. Harmison finished with figures of three for 95, James Anderson two for 45, Matthew Hoggard one for 58 and Ashley Giles two for 46.
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