Khawaja's cameo lifts Sydney gloom
Source: Agencies |
January 4, 2011, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
DEBUTANTE Usman Khawaja briefly lit up a gloomy first day of the fifth Ashes test in Sydney yesterday but Australia's batting frailties and rain returned later in the day to leave the hosts wobbling on 134-4 at the close of play.
Despite its hopes of regaining the Ashes having gone, Australia could still square the series with a victory this week but England just about edged the weather-disrupted day with some stifling bowling and key wickets.
Khawaja, the first Muslim to play for Australia, opened his first test innings with a stunning salvo, scoring 15 runs from seven balls, but ended it for 37 runs with a looping top-edged sweep off Graeme Swann which Jonathan Trott gathered at square leg just as the rain returned.
"You never want to get out, especially with the last ball of the day, as it turned out that was," the 24-year-old told reporters. "I had a ball out there, I was having so much fun out there I just wanted to stay out there as long as I could."
Mike Hussey, so often Australia's savior in this series, was still at the crease on 12 runs with Brad Haddin about to join him when play was stopped for the day.
"It's always good to get the first punch in... it's definitely our day," said Tim Bresnan, who took 2-47.
Haddin's elevation above Steve Smith in the batting order was one of the first manifestations of the captaincy of Michael Clarke, who took charge of his country's test side for the first time in place of the injured Ricky Ponting.
Clarke was Bresnan's second victim, dismissed when he clipped the ball straight at James Anderson in the gully for just four runs after the first rain delay, which had swallowed up the tea break.
Pakistan-born Khawaja came in straight after a lunch break precipitated by the fall of opener Phil Hughes, who wasted a good morning's work with a sloppy shot to be caught off Chris Tremlett for 31.
In Cape Town, Jacques Kallis made 161 and shared a 52-run partnership for the final wicket with Lonwabo Tsotsobe as South Africa reached 362 all out after lunch on day two of the deciding third test against India yesterday.
Kallis anchored with a 39th test century as the home side recovered from 283-8 at Newlands.
Shanthakumaran Sreesanth (5-114) produced a three-wicket burst with the new ball.
Despite its hopes of regaining the Ashes having gone, Australia could still square the series with a victory this week but England just about edged the weather-disrupted day with some stifling bowling and key wickets.
Khawaja, the first Muslim to play for Australia, opened his first test innings with a stunning salvo, scoring 15 runs from seven balls, but ended it for 37 runs with a looping top-edged sweep off Graeme Swann which Jonathan Trott gathered at square leg just as the rain returned.
"You never want to get out, especially with the last ball of the day, as it turned out that was," the 24-year-old told reporters. "I had a ball out there, I was having so much fun out there I just wanted to stay out there as long as I could."
Mike Hussey, so often Australia's savior in this series, was still at the crease on 12 runs with Brad Haddin about to join him when play was stopped for the day.
"It's always good to get the first punch in... it's definitely our day," said Tim Bresnan, who took 2-47.
Haddin's elevation above Steve Smith in the batting order was one of the first manifestations of the captaincy of Michael Clarke, who took charge of his country's test side for the first time in place of the injured Ricky Ponting.
Clarke was Bresnan's second victim, dismissed when he clipped the ball straight at James Anderson in the gully for just four runs after the first rain delay, which had swallowed up the tea break.
Pakistan-born Khawaja came in straight after a lunch break precipitated by the fall of opener Phil Hughes, who wasted a good morning's work with a sloppy shot to be caught off Chris Tremlett for 31.
In Cape Town, Jacques Kallis made 161 and shared a 52-run partnership for the final wicket with Lonwabo Tsotsobe as South Africa reached 362 all out after lunch on day two of the deciding third test against India yesterday.
Kallis anchored with a 39th test century as the home side recovered from 283-8 at Newlands.
Shanthakumaran Sreesanth (5-114) produced a three-wicket burst with the new ball.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
