Australia started Day 2 with the overnight score of 126/3 which they tallied on the rain-marred opening day of the 4th Test Match of the prestigious Ashes against England at Sydney Cricket Ground(SCG). Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja resumed the proceedings at the crease and the Australia side went on to put up a first innings score of 416/8 before they declared. Usman Khawaja was instrumental in tallying the huge score on Day 2.
Usman Khawaja’s ton assisted Australia to reach the mammoth total
Usman Khawaja, who is playing his first match of the ongoing series scored a magnificent ton. Khawaja was added to the Australia squad after middle-order batter Travis Head returned positive for COVID-19 last week. This is also Khawaja’s first international match since the 2019 Ashes in England.
Khawaja stitched a partnership with Steve Smith before England got the hosts to six down in the second session. Khawaja got support from Australia’s lower order as well as captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon scoring 24, 34, and 16 valuable runs respectively.
Smith played a splendid knock of 67 runs before Stuart Broad got the breakthrough. Broad continued to torment the home side as Cameron Green was also dismissed cheaply followed by Alex Carey.
Broad clinching his 19th five-wicket haul in Test cricket and eighth against Australia.Broad struck twice with the second new ball, having Smith caught by Buttler and then forcing Green to edge through to Crawley at slip four overs later.
Meanwhile, out-of-form England’s opener Haseeb Hammed and his partner Zak Crawley survived the crucial five overs in their first innings at the end of the day though the latter was dismissed by Mitchell Starc but was called a no-ball.
The Three Lions have a deficit of 403 runs which is to be recovered. It looks like they have another daunting task in their way. Joe Root and his side as their tour doesn’t get any better. The hosts would look to put more misery on the third day by bowling England out for another low score.
