Richardson back in the wickets on day of Lions misery

Richardson would almost certainly have figured in Test contention for this summer, had he not been recovering from shoulder surgery.

The right-armer went wicketless during 20 overs for a CA XI against the Lions late last month, but was back bowling at pace at Allan Border Field on Friday.

Richardson had Ben McKinney dropped at first slip in his third over of the day, before running through the tourists in the second session.

He bowled James Rew for seven when the left-hander inside-edged a ball that angled across him onto his stumps, before Richardson's pace had Ben Kellaway playing on.

In almost comical fashion, Kellaway defended a delivery from the quick before he was unable to stop the ball rolling back onto his stumps.

Richardson then had both Matthew Fisher and Nathan Gilchrist edging behind the wicket, as the Lions fell from 1-72 to all out for 150 inside 50 overs.

The West Australian played his last Test in December 2022, but has battled constant shoulder and hamstring injuries since then.

His recovery from last season's dislocated shoulder ruled him out of contention for the start of the Ashes, with Brendan Doggett debuting in Perth.

Todd Murphy and Xavier Bartlett also took two wickets each for Australia A, before Campbell Kellaway flew to 71 off 75 balls in the final session.

Earmarked as a Test opener of the future, the Victorian's runs came after he also hit a century for the Prime Minister's XI against England last weekend.

Kellaway produced one of the shots of the day with a cracking pull shot off Gilchrist, before he later pulled the quick straight to mid on.

England's back-up spinner Shoaib Bashir meanwhile had an unhappy afternoon, taking 0-22 from three overs after being overlooked for the Gabba Test.

Nathan McSweeney (40 not out) pulled the tweaker's first two balls for four, before Kellaway also took to him in the next over and he was dragged out of the attack.