Usman Khawaja scored his first Ashes hundred away from home as a patient Australia profited from missed England chances to cut the hosts’ lead to 82 on day two of the first Test at Edgbaston.
Khawaja (126no off 279) was incredibly emotional after clinching a 199-ball century – his fourth against England and 15th of his Test career – roaring with delight and hurling his bat into the air.
The opener’s ton was crucial for Australia as they fought back from 67-3 to close on 311-5 in reply to England’s 393-8 declared on day one, Khawaja sharing half-century stands with Travis Head (50 off 63), Cameron Green (38) and Alex Carey (52no).
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Australia trail England by 82 at Edgbaston
Australia 311-5 after day two – Khawaja (126no off 179 balls), Carey (52no), Head (50); Broad (2-49), Moeen (2-124)
England 393-8 declared on day one – Root (118no off 152 balls), Bairstow (78 off 78), Crawley (61 off 73); Lyon (4-149), Hazlewood (2-61)
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Stuart Broad’s celebrations were cut short when he realised he had bowled Khawaja off a no-ball
Khawaja was castled by Stuart Broad on 112 with the second new ball but the bowler was shown to have overstepped, with that mistake preventing England reducing Australia to 264-6.
Broad’s blemish was the third of the day from England, with Jonny Bairstow failing to stump Green on nought and dropping Carey on 26 off Moeen Ali and Joe Root respectively – Australia would have been 148-5 had Bairstow removed Green for no score.
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England impressed on a docile deck, though, with the seamers plugging away and Moeen (2-124), playing his first Test since September 2021 after ending his red-ball retirement, delivering the ball of the day to bowl Green through the gate, at which point Australia were 220-5.
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Moeen Ali’s peach of a delivery removed Cameron Green for 38 at Edgbaston
Captain Ben Stokes showing a willingness to attack that visiting captain Pat Cummins had not on day one, when his defensive fields cut off the boundaries but allowed England to pick up easy singles as they rattled along in excess of five runs an over.
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England had snatched control of the game on Saturday morning as Broad (2-49) dismissed David Warner (9) and Marnus Labuschagne (0) from successive balls to leave Australia tottering on 29-2 and Stokes, nursing a troublesome left knee, pinned Steve Smith (16) lbw during his first bowling spell since a one-over stint at the IPL in April.
But Khawaja, who played with real restraint but also tucked into any short deliveries England sent his way, led the Australia comeback to leave the game delicately poised heading into day three.
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Khawaja was emotional after scoring his first Test hundred in England and 15th anywhere
Broad electrifies at Edgbaston
A morning session that began five minutes late due to earlier drizzle and started with a sedate first half an hour burst into life as Broad took two wickets in two balls, including Warner for the 15th time in Test cricket, more than any other bowler.
Warner dragged a wide delivery onto his stumps off an inside edge, before Labuschagne snicked behind for a golden duck – Broad removing the man ranked No 1 in the ICC Test batting standings with the out-swinger he has been working on as wicketkeeper Bairstow took a terrific catch low to his right.
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Two in two! Broad dismissed David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne during an electrifying twin strike on Saturday morning
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Watch all nine times Broad has taken the wicket of Warner during Ashes series in England
Stokes’ declaration late on day one generated debate and he continued to make maverick moves on day two, introducing the medium pace of Harry Brook for an over at Smith before he turned to Ollie Robinson, Moeen and himself.
Stokes it was, though, who trapped Smith lbw during his second over; Smith reviewed, probably thinking the ball would have bounced over the stumps, but to no avail.
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Ben Stokes trapped Steve Smith lbw for 16 shortly before lunch at Edgbaston
The first session was go-slow for Australia but there was an injection of intent after the interval as Head dominated a stand of 81 from 113 balls with fellow left-hander Khawaja.
Stokes was not fussed about the increase in scoring rate, keeping his fielders up as he anticipated a mistake at some stage and one duly came when Head skipped down the pitch and spooned Moeen to Zak Crawley at short midwicket.
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Check out Moeen’s first wicket on his Test return – Travis Head caught by Zak Crawley at short midwicket
Moeen toasted a first Test wicket in almost two years and the 196th of his career and should have been celebrating again two balls later only for Bairstow to fumble the opportunity to stump Green.
Green and Khawaja went on to share a partnership of 72 for the fifth wicket, while Broad’s costly no-ball to Khawaja and Bairstow grassing Carey allowed those two to extend their alliance to an unbroken 91 by stumps.
Broad hopes pitch keeps deteriorating
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Broad reflects on a challenging day for England and missing out the wicket of Khawaja due to a no-ball
England seamer Stuart Broad: “I think it was a pretty good day, actually. It has been a slow pitch so to be still 82 runs ahead of Australia with Pat Cummins and the tail next, we are pretty happy.
“Things could happen pretty quickly for us in the first hour tomorrow. Ultimately, our aim is for Australia to bat last. Hopefully the pitch keeps deteriorating.”
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Kevin Pietersen believes England’s pace bowling is not to be feared and feels Travis Head should have played better against them
Hussain: England sloppy in final session
Sky Sports Cricket’s Nasser Hussain: “It is a slow, turgid pitch on which England had to work hard for everything. I thought Moeen bowled beautifully, but then I thought they were a bit sloppy in that last session. Missed stumping, dropped catch, no-ball wicket.
“A lot of this team haven’t played a lot of cricket – it isn’t just a skill-based thing, it is a fitness thing. That came to the fore in the last session.”
Head: Australia are ‘right in’ the Test
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Australia batter Travis Head feels Australia are ‘right in the Test’ after cutting their arrears to 82 runs
Australia batter Travis Head: “It has been challenging throughout and we knew that. It has been two brilliant days of cricket so far and has set the tone for what is going to be an amazing five or six weeks. We are right in it.”
Head on Usman Khawaja’s first century in England: “It’s a huge weight off his shoulders. As an international cricketer, everyone talks about hundreds overseas and he hasn’t had the greatest of times leading into this series. I know he is determined and once he got through the new ball, he played beautifully.”
Watch day three of the first Ashes Test, from Edgbaston, live on Sky Sports Cricket on Sunday. Build-up starts at 10.15am ahead of the first ball at 11am.
Sourse: skysports.com
