Khawaja, Smith put Australia in strong position

TIL Desk Sports/ Usman Khawaja was back in the runs and Steve Smith threatened another big score as Australia recovered from losing both openers on the first day of the second Ashes Test against England in Adelaide on Saturday.

Khawaja stepped up from his scratchy batting in Brisbane with a half-century as the tourists claimed the wickets of Cameron Bancroft and David Warner after surprisingly sending the Australians into the bat after winning the toss.

At the dinner break in the first-ever Ashes day-night Test, Australia were 138 for two with Khawaja on 53 and skipper Steve Smith unbeaten on 25.Smith, the bane of England’s bowlers at the Gabba with his match-defining unbeaten 141, was soon engaged in a war of words with Stuart Broad as the tourists looked for a way to unsettle the imperious Australian skipper.

Khawaja, searching for a confidence-restoring innings after an uncertain 11 in Brisbane, showed improved technique against the spin of Moeen Ali and grew in confidence the longer he was at the wicket.

Khawaja had faced 26 balls and was settled in by the time Ali came on to bowl. But he had a life on 44 when he top-edged a Chris Woakes bouncer to deep backward square where Mark Stoneman put down a two-handed chance. Khawaja reached his ninth half-century in his 26th Test with a cut shot off Ali to the boundary.