The Ashes 2023: England defied by Usman Khawaja century

England wasted possibilities and have been defied by an aesthetic century from Australia’s Usman Khawaja on a riveting second day of the primary Ashes Test at Edgbaston.

Khawaja batted all through the day for his unbeaten 126, the left-hander’s first Ashes ton in England guiding Australia to 311-5, simply 82 runs adrift.

He was bowled by a Stuart Broad no-ball on 112, one in every of 4 errors from England that additionally included Jonny Bairstow lacking two alternatives behind the stumps.

In an electrifying morning session, England used beneficial overhead situations to cut back the vacationers to 67-3 in reply to their 393-8 declared.

The renewal of Broad’s battle with David Warner resulted in a 15th dismissal in Test cricket and, subsequent ball, Broad despatched Edgbaston into rapture by having Marnus Labuschagne brilliantly caught by Bairstow.

Ben Stokes, proving his health to bowl, trapped Steve Smith lbw for 16.

But Khawaja stood agency, including 81 with Travis Head, who made 50, and 72 with Cameron Green. Both Head and Green have been eliminated by Moeen Ali on his return to Test cricket.

Even at 220-5, Australia have been on the again foot, just for Khawaja so as to add one other unbroken stand of 91 with Alex Carey, the beneficiary of a Bairstow drop in his 52 not out.

By the top, Australia had moved to a place from the place they will take a first-innings lead, which might be essential on a particularly dry pitch that appears set to deteriorate later within the match.

If day one was frantic from begin to end, this was a strategic battle, but nonetheless each bit as compelling, dramatic and aggressive.

Just as they have been defensive within the area on Friday, Australia barely engaged in England’s full-throttle method. There have been extra maidens within the first three overs than the entire of day one and Australia crawled at marginally greater than two an over within the first session – and it performed proper into England’s fingers.

Stokes was relentlessly tinkering. Seven bowlers have been employed within the first session, and the usage of Harry Brook’s medium tempo inside the primary hour stretched credulity. Smith was greeted by eight shut catchers on his arrival.

Broad’s dismissal of Warner was nearly comical in its inevitability, adopted by wild celebrations on the Labuschagne dismissal subsequent ball. The Edgbaston roar returned when Stokes acquired Smith and for Moeen’s vital interventions.

But on such a placid floor, and with Khawaja fronting the Australian resistance, England wanted to take all of their possibilities. The 4 errors – there was additionally an edge between Bairstow and slip Joe Root within the dying moments – might but show to be vastly pricey.

Since being recalled within the final Ashes sequence, Khawaja has outperformed all of his Australia team-mates, however retained the stigma of a median beneath 18 on this nation.

However, this was an assured century when Australia badly wanted him – Khawaja displaying metal to be the fixed presence within the rearguard partnerships with Head, Green and Carey.

Khawaja is a superbly languid participant. When England’s tempo bowlers dropped brief, he swivelled to drag. When Moeen was bowling, he chassed down the pitch to hit straight, twice for six.

He reached his 15th Test hundred, and first Ashes century exterior of Sydney, by late-cutting Stokes then celebrated passionately by throwing his bat into the air. At the top of the day, he took his daughter to the information convention.

Khawaja was, although, decisively crushed in Broad’s first over with the second new ball. With the off stump pegged again, Khawaja’s stroll again to the pavilion was halted when the TV umpire detected the no-ball.

By that time, Carey had been let off on 26 by Bairstow off Root’s off-spin and later, on 46, one other edge off Moeen went between the keeper and Root, who was sluggish to maneuver low to his proper.

England have been electrifying within the morning session, utilizing some beneficial overhead situations that even the house aspect couldn’t have predicted once they surprisingly declared on Friday.

After Australia resumed on 14-0, Warner had added just one to his in a single day eight when he performed a wild hack at Broad and dragged on. Next ball, world quantity one-rated batter Labuschagne poked at an out-swinger and was fantastically caught one-handed by Bairstow.

Smith, so typically England’s tormentor, was easing himself in when he acquired into an terrible place to Stokes. Even after seeing the assessment, Smith couldn’t consider the choice.

From then on, England needed to work a lot more durable. Khawaja and Head incessantly belted Moeen down the bottom, just for Stokes to refuse to drop males out.

It labored when Head miscued to mid-wicket and Moeen adopted with a magnificence that turned to bowl Green by way of the gate. In his first Test in nearly two years, Moeen carried out admirably, getting by way of 29 overs.

Green ought to have been stumped off his second ball by Bairstow, who additionally missed the tremendous edge off Carey. Though Bairstow made 78 with the bat and took the spectacular catch off Smith, these errors add ammunition for many who consider Ben Foakes must be protecting wicket.

The dry situations did little for James Anderson, whereas Ollie Robinson seemed wanting health. Mark Wood’s tempo was missed and Broad’s overstep was a vital error.