Opener Usman Khawaja raced away in delight and threw his bat high into the air on Saturday after scoring his first Test century in England as Australia made 311-5 on day two of the Ashes at Edgbaston.
Australia’s deficit was down to 82 runs after Khawaja revived Australia’s fortunes with an unbeaten 126. He had excellent support in consecutive half-century partnerships with Travis Head (50), Cameron Green (38) and Alex Carey (52 not out).
The Australians likely enjoyed the day more than England, who rued three big missed chances. Jonny Bairstow missed a stumping when he fumbled the second delivery to Green by Moeen Ali. Bairstow then dropped a catch after Carey edged Joe Root. Moments later, Khawaja was bowled on 112 by Stuart Broad, but was called back because of a no-ball.
Photo: AFP
“It was a great ball. I felt like I had slid,” Broad said of the no-ball. “I probably bowled more no-balls than I did in my career. I’ve not bowled as many as that [six] in a day.”
Khawaja’s 15th Test hundred helped to turn things round. He anchored the innings with style and occasional aggression, hitting 14 fours and two sixes. He celebrated extravagantly after raising his 100 off 199 balls.
“He’s given us the dab, the shuffle, now the bat throw,” Head said. “It’s a huge weight off his shoulders. The first thing people talk about is hundreds overseas. Once he got off the mark, it was his day.”
Thirty-six-year-old Khawaja said he was extra motivated by comments from the crowd.
“I genuinely do not read the media, but when I’m getting sprayed [taunted] by the crowd as I’m walking out there today and as I’m going to nets being told that I can’t score runs in England ... I guess it was just a bit more emotional than normal,” he said.
The celebration “was a combination of having three Ashes tours in England and being dropped in two of them. Not that I have a point to prove, but it’s nice to go out there and score runs for Australia and just to show everyone that the last 10 years hasn’t been a fluke,” he said.
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
The journey of Taiwan’s badminton mixed doubles duo Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Chan at the Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur came to an end in the semi-finals yesterday after they suffered a 2-0 loss to China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. Ye, 25, and Chan, 20, teamed up last year and are currently ranked No. 23 in the world. The Taiwanese shuttlers took on China’s second seeds in the mixed doubles event, but proved no match for Feng and Huang, losing the match 10-21, 7-21. In the first half of the first game, the pairings were neck and neck at 6-7 until Ye
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said