Australia’s Usman Khawaja revealed some ill-timed verbals from the Edgbaston crowd set him up for an emotional century on day two of the first Ashes Test, marking the moment by throwing his bat into the air.
The tourists were struggling after Stuart Broad dismissed David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne with successive deliveries, but Khawaja rebuilt the innings with a superb 126 not out.
The opener dug in for almost six-and-a-half hours, building important partnerships with Travis Head and Cameron Green, before a late offensive push with Alex Carey saw Australia end the day 82 behind on 311-5.
Khawaja marked his century with an impassioned celebration that saw him throw his bat high over his head. The 36-year-old has been enjoying a renaissance in recent years, notching hundreds in Australia, India and Pakistan along the way.
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Khawaja leaps into the air and throws his bat down after reaching his maiden Test century in England
Yet runs in England had always eluded him – with a top Test score of 54 and an average of 19.60 prior to this century – and the fact was not lost on the home fans at the ground.
“I genuinely do not read the media but when I’m getting sprayed (taunted) by the crowd as I’m walking out there today and as I’m going to nets being told that I can’t score runs in England…I guess it was just a bit more emotional
than normal,” he said.
“I think it [the celebration] was a combination of having three Ashes tours in England and being dropped in two of them. Not that I have a point to prove, but it’s nice to go out there and score runs for Australia and just to show everyone that the last 10 years hasn’t been a fluke.”
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Travis Head feels Australia are ‘right in the Test’
Khawaja, who attended the end-of-day press conference with his daughter Aisha in tow, spoke of how the realisation that this will almost certainly be his last trip to England had freed him up.
“These young ones keep me young and make me realise that there’s a lot to life and a lot of good stuff, inshallah, after I stop playing cricket,” he said.
“So, for me, it’s just about enjoying it. My wife has been awesome to me, she’s been my rock throughout my career.
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Watch the best of the action from day two of the first Ashes Test as England take on Australia at Edgbaston
“That perspective makes it a lot easier for me to go out there and just play and try and enjoy it as much as I can, whether I get a duck or a hundred.
“Every Test match is a bonus for me because we thought my career was over. In my head, it’s the last [Ashes] tour I’ll be on, unless I pull a Jimmy Anderson and come back when I’m 41.”
A better day for Australia or too close to call?
Although England finished day two 82 runs ahead of Australia, the overall feeling was that the Australia dressing room would be the happier of the two heading into day three.
Sky Sports Cricket’s Nasser Hussain….
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Kevin Pietersen believes England’s pace bowling is not to be feared and thinks Head should have played better against them
“I think a hard day really.
“Day two, Edgbaston, it is usually a good day for batting. It is a slow, turgid pitch on which they had to work hard for everything.
“It did start to spin, I thought Moeen Ali 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.”
Former England captain Eoin Morgan….
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Stuart Broad’s celebrations were cut short after he was denied the wicket of Khawaja by a no ball
“I think it has been Australia’s day.
“I would rather be sat in Australia’s changing room right now and the difference for me has been Carey.
“You always expect an Australian to grind out some runs on this wicket.
“That impetus late on in the day and leading momentum into when the new ball came in from Khawaja and Carey was outstanding.”
