SHANE Watson warmed up for next week’s opening Ashes Test with a century before lunch against Worcestershire at New Road.

The Aussie, who reached three figures in the 28th over, made 109 and was the mainstay of the tourists’ total of 340-4, before rain brought an early end to the day.

It was announced prior to the match that Watson and Middlesex batsman Chris Rogers had been chosen as head coach Darren Lehmann’s opening partnership for the eagerly-anticipated contest between the old enemies, which starts at Trent Bridge next week.

Although the two batsmen were not faced by the most testing of attacks they will come up against this summer, the Cricket Australia powers-that-be will have been glad to see them gel straight away.

Watson, who became the first player to hit hundred before lunch at New Road since Lou Vincent managed it against Essex in August 2006, brought up the hundred stand with a towering six off Jack Shantry into the top tier of the New Road End hospitality boxes. Watson’s hundred took just 94 balls and featured 14 fours and two sixes, but it was his first First-Class ton since October 2010, a gap of 51 innings between centuries.

The duo piled up 170 for the first wicket, before Watson picked out Shantry on the square-leg boundary when attempting to slog-sweep Moeen Ali’s off-spin.

Despite the breakthrough, the home bowling line-up continued to toil as Rogers (75) was joined by Ed Cowan and the score moved past 200. Shantry accounted for the veteran opener when he drew a leading edge that was taken by Alexei Kervezee at cover. Australia captain Michael Clarke looked in good touch as he helped to put on 97 for the third wicket, but his stay was then brought to an abrupt halt by a fine pick up and throw by Kervezee at square-leg after Cowan had called for a single.

Having worked hard over the course of his 114-ball stay in the middle, Cowan was then dismissed in comedy fashion for 58.

Steve Smith played the ball into the off-side and set off for a single, but his partner tripped, stumbled and hit the deck in the middle of the pitch and was run out by a distance when Matt Pardoe almost apologetically returned the ball for wicketkeeper Ben Cox to knock off the bails.

Phil Hughes, who enjoyed a successful stint as the New Road club’s overseas player last term, joined fellow ex-County player Smith in the middle, which meant Nick Compton was the only player on the pitch with no Worcestershire connection.

Hughes wasted little time in unfurling an array of eye-catching off-side drives and cuts that made him a fans’ favourite last term, before the rain brought a halt to the Aussie run procession.