Australia's Usman Khawaja hits ton to keep England at bay in opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston
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Updated 17/06/2023 at 18:22 GMT
It was a second enthralling day of Test cricket at Edgbaston. After England's aggressive approach with the bat on day one, Australia were more measured in their approach with the willow on day two. Usman Khawaja was the glue of the Australian innings as he brought up the 15th century of his Test career in what is a finely balanced opening Ashes Test.
Usman Khawaja celebrates after reaching his century during play on day two of the first Ashes cricket Test match between England and Australia at Edgbaston in Birmingham, England on June 17, 2023
Image credit: Getty Images
A superb century from Usman Khwaja kept Australia in the hunt in the opening Test of the Ashes series at Edgbaston, but England may rue missed opportunities.
Australia began the day trailing England by 379 runs and looked in trouble on a couple of occasions, but Khawaja (126*) and Alex Carey (52*) put on 91 for the sixth wicket to cut the deficit to 82 at stumps on day two.
Carey and Khawaja were given reprieves by England in the evening session, but with the pitch beginning to misbehave on what is only the second day - and with the knowledge that Australia will have to bat last on a wearing surface - Ben Stokes’ men will still have high hopes.
“It has been a slow, turgid pitch so to be 82 runs ahead of Australia with Pat Cummins and the tail next, we’re pretty happy,” Stuart Broad, who took two wickets on the day, told Sky Sports. “Things can happen pretty quickly for us tomorrow.
"There was not a lot in that pitch today, it felt slow. So to pick up their key batters relatively cheaply, we are happy.
“Our aim is for Australia to bat last on that, for us to bowl last on that, and hopefully it keeps deteriorating.”
England made early inroads, with Broad once again proving too good for David Warner.
Warner was extremely studious the previous evening, but the desire to score saw him chase a wide one which he dragged on to leg stump to hand Broad his wicket for the 15th time in his career.
The departure of Warner brought the world’s No. 1 Test batter to the crease, but Marnus Labuschagne lasted only one ball as he edged Broad behind and Jonny Bairstow took an excellent diving catch, which was the highlight of his day with the gloves.
Steve Smith, the world’s No. 2 Test batter, saw off the hat-trick ball and began to build a partnership with Khawaja, but he was trapped on the crease by Stokes and fell lbw for 16.
The depth of Australia’s batting was emphasised by Smith being replaced by the world’s No. 3 Test batter, Travis Head.
Head would fit into the Bazball mindset as he likes to score quickly. He set about a counter-attack and made 50 before falling to the spin of Moeen Ali.
Ali should have had a second wicket two balls later, but Bairstow missed a stumping chance when Cameron Green charged down the track and made no contact. It did spin, but Bairstow had a good look at it and should have done better.
148 for 5 would have looked good for England, and it was a somewhat costly miss as Green made 38. Ali did get his man, as he got a ball to spit out of the rough, go through the gate and crash into leg stump to leave Australia at 220 for 5.
While wickets tumbled around him, Khawaja was a calming presence and he brought up his first Test ton on English soil - and 15th in all. The cut through backward point was greeted by a yell of delight and a throw of the bat from the Australian opener.
There is a large contingent of England fans who would like to see Ben Foakes, widely regarded as the best wicketkeeper in the men’s game, in the team and they were given ammunition when Bairstow put down Carey when the Australian was on 26 - at which point Australia trailed by 129.
One over later, with new ball in hand, Broad knocked over Khawaja, but his celebrations were cut short when umpire Marais Erasmus signalled a no-ball to hand the Australian a lifeline.
In the space of seven balls, England passed up the chance to get Australia’s bowlers at the crease on the second evening with a hard, red new ball at their disposal.
Carey and Khawaja battled through to stumps and brought the deficit down to double figures, as they took Australia back into the game at 311 for 5.
England will go to bed reflecting on the missed chances, but are still well placed going into day three on a pitch that seems certain to break up.
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