STEPHEN Moore's silky 69 provided the biggest cheer for Worcestershire supporters yesterday as Australia revved up for the next Ashes installment in style.

The tourists did their preparations for Thursday's second npower Test with England no harm following a ruthless final day display at New Road.

It ended predictably in a draw, with the Australians charging to 161-2 in their second innings after skittling the County for 187 in 44 overs.

Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath may have handed out interval drinks rather than unplayable deliveries, but Australia still carried too much firepower as their waiting-in-the-wings bowlers stole the show.

Michael Kasprowicz was the chief destroyer, taking five victims in seven overs as Worcestershire lost seven wickets for 54 runs in little more than an hour after lunch. However, too many wickets were gifted to the brooding seamer rather than eked out.

Only the ever-improving Moore and captain Vikram Solanki emerged with any credit with the bat, while James Pipe provided a late mini-salvo.

"It's always difficult to play against Australia," said Solanki. "We tried to compete against them but, unfortunately, we let ourselves down a little bit with the bat.

"Stephen Moore played very well and he has done throughout the season. It wasn't the easiest pitch to bat on, but he showed he's got fantastic technique at the top of the order.

"Nadeem (Malik) bowled well in the first innings and, with a bit more luck, would have picked up a few more wickets. What was important was that we played well and we applied some pressure to Australia in short spells."

Worcestershire were reduced to 48-3 in the first hour after Australia declared on their overnight first innings score of 406-9.

Moore rescued the situation with Solanki, the pair adding 85 for the fourth wicket, and the former continued his fine season with a stylish 55-ball half-century, brought up with a streaky boundary off Jason Gillespie to the third-man fence.

But once Solanki departed, tamely prodding to a wide Kasprowicz ball on 36, the wheels completely fell off the County wagon.

Zander de Bruyn pushed to Simon Katich at mid-wicket and then Moore fell softly, his 69 including 11 fours ending with a fend to gully off Shaun Tait's short-pitched delivery.

The visitors continued to overwhelm the tail and only a last-wicket partnership of 36 between Pipe (22no) and Malik (16) stopped the rot.

Kasprowicz mopped up Malik to reel in 5-67, offering the Australia selectors food for thought ahead of the Edgbaston Test, while Tait and Gillespie took two wickets each.

Australia raced to 161-2 in 38 overs, Ricky Ponting joint top-scoring with an unbeaten 59, while opener Michael Clarke blasted 59 from 55 balls.