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TOUR MATCH, MELBOURNE:
Victoria 216-2d & 278-6 v England 184-2d & 211-6
Full match scorecard
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Matt Prior hit an unbeaten century as England hit back to grind out a draw in the tour fixture with Victoria after a rain-affected final day in Melbourne.
The visitors found trouble slipping to 78-4 at lunch as Clint McKay and Jayde Herrick made a mockery of the struggles endured by England's Ashes hopefuls.
But Prior settled the tourists and was 102 not out when the match was called off with England on 211 for six.
The third Ashes Test gets under way in Perth on Thursday.
Initially in pursuit of 311 to win, England were saved by Prior's 23rd first-class century shortly before the stalemate was agreed with an hour remaining of an awkward day three.
England had faltered to 55 for four, as the wickets of Alistair Cook, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan and Steven Davies all fell within a short space of time.
McKay and Herrick found more assistance from the docile MCG pitch than any of England's seamers had managed - Chris Tremlett, Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad all failed to take a wicket on day two leaving few clues as to who should replace the injured Stuart Broad.
McKay led the Victoria bowling with 4-68 from 17 overs, snaring Cook first when the Englishman - so prolific in the two Ashes Tests so far - chopped an attempted cut on to his stumps.
With captain Andrew Strauss dropping himself down the order, Steve Davies had gone in first with Cook - and was joined by Paul Collingwood at number three.
But Collingwood was soon pinned lbw on the back foot by Herrick and immediately afterwards Davies was gone, edging McKay to slip.
Eoin Morgan - batting for the first time for England this winter - then edged a drive behind off Herrick, who was bowling round the wicket to the left-hander.
Yet Prior duly came to the rescue, fluent throughout while others were playing and missing regularly, on his way to a 47-ball 50.
Fast bowler Herrick was taken out of Victoria's attack by the umpires after bowling two full tosses above waist-height in consecutive overs in the post-lunch session.
McKay, who had Bresnan caught behind pushing forward, almost had Prior's wicket on 61 though he did shift Ian Bell - who missed a half-century for the first time in six innings when he drove a slower ball straight into the hands of cover.
When England decided to abandon any winning intent after tea, Prior - who hit 12 fours in total - crawled from 75 to his hundred in 20 overs eventually reaching his century ably accompanied by number eight Strauss who finished on 22 not out.
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Victoria 216-2d & 278-6 v England 184-2d & 211-6
Full match scorecard
Follow the Ashes with BBC Sport on Twitter
Matt Prior hit an unbeaten century as England hit back to grind out a draw in the tour fixture with Victoria after a rain-affected final day in Melbourne.
The visitors found trouble slipping to 78-4 at lunch as Clint McKay and Jayde Herrick made a mockery of the struggles endured by England's Ashes hopefuls.
But Prior settled the tourists and was 102 not out when the match was called off with England on 211 for six.
The third Ashes Test gets under way in Perth on Thursday.
Initially in pursuit of 311 to win, England were saved by Prior's 23rd first-class century shortly before the stalemate was agreed with an hour remaining of an awkward day three.
England had faltered to 55 for four, as the wickets of Alistair Cook, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan and Steven Davies all fell within a short space of time.
McKay and Herrick found more assistance from the docile MCG pitch than any of England's seamers had managed - Chris Tremlett, Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad all failed to take a wicket on day two leaving few clues as to who should replace the injured Stuart Broad.
McKay led the Victoria bowling with 4-68 from 17 overs, snaring Cook first when the Englishman - so prolific in the two Ashes Tests so far - chopped an attempted cut on to his stumps.
With captain Andrew Strauss dropping himself down the order, Steve Davies had gone in first with Cook - and was joined by Paul Collingwood at number three.
But Collingwood was soon pinned lbw on the back foot by Herrick and immediately afterwards Davies was gone, edging McKay to slip.
Eoin Morgan - batting for the first time for England this winter - then edged a drive behind off Herrick, who was bowling round the wicket to the left-hander.
Yet Prior duly came to the rescue, fluent throughout while others were playing and missing regularly, on his way to a 47-ball 50.
Fast bowler Herrick was taken out of Victoria's attack by the umpires after bowling two full tosses above waist-height in consecutive overs in the post-lunch session.
McKay, who had Bresnan caught behind pushing forward, almost had Prior's wicket on 61 though he did shift Ian Bell - who missed a half-century for the first time in six innings when he drove a slower ball straight into the hands of cover.
When England decided to abandon any winning intent after tea, Prior - who hit 12 fours in total - crawled from 75 to his hundred in 20 overs eventually reaching his century ably accompanied by number eight Strauss who finished on 22 not out.
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