For all the joy of Usman Khawaja’s unbridled celebration marking his first century in England, Australia can thank their hosts for keeping them in the first Ashes Test with generous missed opportunities.
Khawaja’s unbeaten 126 on Saturday was a wonderful achievement through more than a day of batting, and a vital performance during a scattered Australian performance in the first session. Australia were 5/311 at stumps on the second day, with an enterprising, unbeaten 52 from Alex Carey. They had an unbroken partnership of 91, with Australia 82 behind England’s Bazball inspired 8/393 from just 78 overs to start the series.
Khawaja celebrates his century on day two of the Ashes Test against England.Credit:
The situation would have been worse had Jonny Bairstow not missed a stumping off Cameron Green second ball before he went on to make 38, and a caught behind off Carey on 26. Worse followed when Stuart Broad bowled Khawaja on 112 with the second delivery from the second new ball, only for umpire Marias Erasmus to call a belated no ball relayed by tv umpire Chris Gaffaney, which is standard procedure these days.
Always a good century celebrator, Khawaja, 36, took it to new levels, tossing the bat over his shoulder during an ecstatic jig. The bubbling over of emotion was understandable given it was Khawaja’s first century and just his second score over 50 in a decade of touring England.
When he was dropped midway through the 2019 series Khawaja thought his Test career was over at the age of 32. His recall in Sydney 18 months ago, when Covid laid low Travis Head, resulted in twin centuries at his spiritual home, the SCG, One Test later he replaced Marcus Harris at the top of the order and the fairytale continued.
Since that remarkable revival Khawaja has scored seven centuries and seven half-centuries in 18 Tests. He now has 15 centuries in all, made in six different countries.
The elegant left-hander’s rise and rise is in contrast to his former junior club mate David Warner, who has struggled for consistency during that time and failed again on Saturday, playing with great care against an accurate attack until he ran out of patience.
Warner’s ugly drag of a wide ball into his stumps from nemesis Stuart Broad wasted half an hour of solid defiance for just one more run to his overnight score of eight and left the questioned unanswered about whether he would survive the Ashes series. One score of substance would do it.
While England’s batting may now be at a tempo never seen so consistently in Test cricket, scoring at almost five an over, their bowling and fielding is pressure-inducing old school, which made batting difficult at times on an ultra-dry, flat pitch which some players have compared to the subcontinent.
Setting fieldsmen in front of the batsman and asking him to drive on the slow surface made scoring difficult and risked offering a chance.
Australia were 2/29 when Warner departed then the world’s highest ranked batsman, Marnus Labuschagne, pushed at an outswinger from Broad he should have left next ball and was well caught by Bairstow one-handed diving to his right.
The world’s second-highest ranked batsman, Steve Smith, battled for 16 in 59 balls before technology ultimately ruled that he was lbw to Stokes despite the ball striking him above the pads. Australia were 3-67 and still a long way behind.
Travis Head made a bright 50 as Stokes keep the field up and let the free-flowing South Australian go after the off-spin of Moeen Ali with impunity. The tactic finally worked, with Head chipping to mid-wicket and Australia were not yet half-way to England’s score.
Having survived his ill-timed second ball charge, Green played with increasing enterprise until Moeen surprised him and everyone else with a ball that turned significantly and bowled the tall allrounder.
Given Moeen was a shock call up after retiring from Test cricket two years ago and had a bowling average of 64 against Australia coming into this match, Nathan Lyon can look forward to more help from the parched surface during England’s second innings. It also raises questions about what tricks the Australians will need to counter batting last.
Australia were 5/220 but could take consolation from the fact that England had been 5/176 and went on to make almost 400 before declaring late on day one.
