Agence France-Presse
Melbourne, Dec 26: Usman Khawaja (144, 227b, 6×4, 1×6) and Joe Burns (128, 230b, 16×4, 1×6) hammered centuries as Australia again put the West Indies to sword on the opening day of the second Test here Saturday at the MCG. As one spectator put it ‘the West Indies were outpunched on Boxing Day’. It was Khawaja’s third ton in four Tests while Burns hit his second hundred of the season as Australia ended the day at 345 for three.
Before the lowest Boxing Day crowd of 53,389 at the MCG, Australia made Windies skipper Jason Holder pay dearly for sending the home side into bat after winning the toss. After the early dismissal of Dave Warner (23), the Pakistan-born Khawaja and Burns put on 258 runs for the second wicket to completely decimate the visitors’ attack.
It was the third highest Australian second wicket partnership at the ground. Only two Australian partnerships for the second wicket at the MCG were higher – Ian Chappell-Bill Lawry’s 298 against the West Indies in 1968 and Don Bradman-Bill Woodfull’s 274 against South Africa in 1931.
Khawaja had a life on 142 when Marlon Samuels dropped a chest-high sitter in the covers off Jerome Taylor. But Taylor had the last word when he snared Khawaja’s wicket just two runs later when the batsman was caught down leg-side by wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin just under six overs from stumps.
Burns also made a personal statement with his ton amid concerns over his position in the side with the return of Khawaja. He was finally out when he was smartly stumped by Ramdin off part-time spinner Kraigg Brathwaite.
Burns reached the triple figures first, cracking spinner Jomel Warrican through point for three runs and Khawaja followed two balls later off a misfield at square leg for a single.
The hapless Caribbean bowlers again struggled to make an impression. So far in the series, Australia have amassed 928 runs for the loss of just seven wickets. At stumps, skipper Steve Smith (32 batting, 49b, 3×4) and first Test centurion Adam Voges (10 batting) were at the crease.
Brief scores: Australia 345 for 3 (Usman Khawaja 144, Joe Burns 128) vs West Indies. Match to continue.
