Sydney: Usman Khawaja (171, 381b, 18×4, 1×6) hit his first Ashes hundred and Shaun Marsh (98 batting, 207b, 10×4) was approaching his sixth Test century as Australia eased 133 runs ahead of England on 479 for four after the third day of the fifth Ashes clash on Saturday.
Khawaja shared a stand of 188 with captain Steve Smith (83, 158b, 5×4) who was dismissed just before lunch, and another of 101 with Shaun to put the Aussies in the drivers’ seat. After his dismissal, Shaun and brother Mitch Marsh (63 batting, 87b, 9×4, 2×6) have already put on an unbroken stand of 104 runs for the fifth wicket. On day four, both will look to bat England out of the game and set up an opportunity for the bowlers which will give them a 4-0 win in the series.
It was Khawaja’s sure hand, though, that guided Australia past England’s tally of 346 after Mooen Ali (1/125) had stunned a packed house by moving the apparently unmovable when he dismissed Smith caught and bowled.
“It’s awesome,” Khawaja said of his innings. “The SCG was where I grew up playing cricket for New South Wales and an Ashes century is something I have wanted for a long time and I haven’t been able to achieve, so it was very satisfying. You don’t get to celebrate Test centuries too much unless you’re Steve Smith. You’ve got to enjoy them when they come.”
Khawaja had an lbw scare but was reprieved when TV pictures showed Mason Crane had bowled a no ball and he otherwise looked assured as he calmly totted up the runs in the face of some tight English bowling. He wasted no time in knocking off the nine runs he needed to secure his maiden hundred against England at the start of the day, cutting Moeen for two before soaking up the ovation from a crowd largely clad in pink in support of Glenn McGrath’s cancer charity.
It was debutant leg-spinner Crane who finally ended the 31-year-old’s time out in the middle to claim his first Test victim, beating the bat to leave Khawaja stranded and Jonny Bairstow with a simple stumping.
Brief scores: England 346; Australia 479 for 4 (Usman Khawaja 171, Shaun Marsh 98 batting, Steve Smith 83, Mitch Marsh 63 batting). Match to continue.
Reuters