Aussie batsmen need last-day blast Australia's cricketers made it clear early on day three they were gunning for a win in their practice match against Somerset, putting real-game pressure on players' Ashes credentials. When bad light brought an early close on Friday Australia were 0-36 in their second innings, needing 224 runs to win on the final day. Ed Cowan (14) Usman Khawaja (18) were sent in to open and have a perfect opportunity to score much needed runs with a result and perhaps an Ashes berth on the line. Phil Hughes was 76 not out in the first innings midway through the opening session on Friday and many thought the under-the-pump batsman would be allowed make his hundred for confidence sake. But the philosophy of new coach Darren Lehmann is that winning comes before individual ambition and that was enforced by Michael Clarke's declaring the first innings at 5-321 for a lead of just one run. "We've definitely got what we wanted out of the game and I think we're in a good position to win the game," said fast bowler James Pattinson, who will likely sit out the second practice game against Worcestershire starting on Tuesday. Somerset came out for their second dig, with victory a realistic possibility, and Australia's bowlers responded, for the most part, how their coach and captain would have liked. A poor lapse at the death allowed the final wicket partnership to put on 56 but Somerset were all out for 260. Cowan and Khawaja then went into face the music for the final few overs of the day, but their real challenge will come on day four. Pattinson continues to firm as Australia's spearhead for the Ashes, after dominating again with the ball. To follow up his four first-innings wickets, Pattinson nabbed three more in the second, with his aggressive style spurring on his teammates. Personally I felt really good out there. It's good we've got thrown up some conditions that are pretty tough to bowl on with the wicket not really offering up much," he said. We can bowl with the new ball when it's swinging, we've got the bowlers to do that. It's more about when the conditions aren't favouring us ... how to go about things and really work as a team to bowl together. Spinner Nathan Lyon finished with 3-73 - plenty to like, but inconsistency had him taken to the cleaners by Peter Trego (60 from 53) at the death to see the target balloon by nearly 60 runs. Mitchell Starc, who also had four in the first innings, took 2-41 and James Faulkner and Peter Siddle had one each. Earlier, Hughes looked comfortable at the crease, pocketing 12 boundaries in an innings which may go along way to helping save his position for Trent Bridge. His demotion to No.5 for the tour match indicates he's got some work to do to play in the Test series, but perhaps the middle order does suit him. "He looked pretty classy out there in the middle," Pattinson said. It's fantastic for us because he is quite a dangerous player when he gets in and he has some confidence.