Usman Khawaja’s brilliant form continues in this series as he took Australia to 130 for two before rain brought an end to the third day’s play in the second Test. Following his scores of 141 and 65 in the previous Test, he was unbeaten with another excellent innings of 58 with Australia on an overall lead of 221 and eight wickets remaining.
The tourists were given a fine start to their second innings with Khawaja and Warner putting on 63 for the first wicket. Both batsmen settled in playing watchfully. England, however, got the breakthrough in the 25th over soon after Josh Tongue was brought on. Warner on 25 was trapped in front of the stumps with the ball coming into the left hander. The batsman reviewed the decision unsuccessfully.
Khawaja progressed well picking up the runs. Having got into the forties, he played two lovely strokes for four, both of Stuart Broad. For the first he went on the back foot to square cut and then a square drive. His partner Marnus Labuschagne survived two confident appeals by Broad for lbw and a snick behind. He was on 3 and on 8 at the time.
At tea, Australia were 81 for one with Khawaja on 45. After the break, on 49, he straight drove a full toss from Broad to bring up his 23rd Test half century. Labuschagne then survived another confident appeal for lbw, replays showed he was fortunate that a review was not requested by England.
He took his score to 30 with a chipped four behind square leg followed by a single before cutting James Anderson into the hands of backward point and Australia were 123 for two. Seven runs later rain stopped play at 5.10 pm local time, with Khawaja on 58 from 123 balls with 40 of his runs coming from boundaries and Steve Smith on 6.
Eventually, 35 minutes later, the umpires decided that conditions were too wet for any further play.
Earlier, Australia could hardly have wished for a better start to the third day’s play as the second ball of the day removed the England captain after his side had resumed their first innings on 278 for four. Ben Stokes was 17 overnight with Harry Brooks on 45 and England were trailing by 138 runs.
Stokes got a leading edge to the first ball he faced from Mitchell Starc which was angled in and straightened on him and Cameron Green held a sharp catch at third slip.
Harry Brooks needing five for his fourth Test half century got to it after six further overs before driving a catch to covers off Starc and that was 293 for six. The first bowling change soon accounted for Jonny Bairstow who chipped Josh Hazelwood for a catch at mid-on for 16 and 13 runs later off-spinner Travis Head had Ollie Robinson held behind for 9 to reduce England to 324 for eight.
With Nathan Lyon ruled out for the rest of the match and possibly for the rest of the series with a calf injury sustained on the second day, Head now had the spinner’s role which he fulfilled well with two for 17 from his seven overs. His second victim was Broad whom he trapped leg before wicket for 12 on 325.
Finally, on the same total Cummins wrapped up the innings having Tongue held for one in his first Ashes innings having made his England Test debut in the previous Test against Ireland four weeks earlier. England had conceded a 91-run first innings lead to Australia.
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