Daily Cricket News

Khawaja sparkles before Ashes rain arrives

Usman Khawaja shone like a beacon amid the gloom of Australia's uncertain batting then spoke stoutly in defence of his embattled captain Michael Clarke after day one of the fifth Ashes Test against England at the SCG.

Given a useful start by Shane Watson and Phil Hughes, Khawaja (37) demonstrated the technique and touch of an accomplished international batsman, nevermind a 24-year-old debutant.

But the loss of stand-in captain Clarke (four) for yet another slim score turned things towards England, and Khawaja's exit slid Australia to 4-134 from 59 overs when the rain finally set in.

Much rests on Mike Hussey (12no) to scramble a reasonable total on a pitch that will improve before it deteriorates.

Clarke has a dismal 152 runs at 19 for the Ashes series and 326 at 20.37 in nine Tests since moving up the order to No.4 in mid-2010.

However Khawaja was glowing about Clarke's handling of him and the rest of the team as he stands in for Ricky Ponting, who will undergo surgery for a fractured finger on Tuesday.

"Pup's been awesome, if there was any pressure on me he's been taking it right off just making me feel well at home," said Khawaja.

"He sent me a text last night that said it doesn't matter whether you get a golden duck or 400, it'll still be the best day of your life.

"He's just been very good at making me feel comfortable and that's all I can ask for from a skipper on my debut."

Pacemen Chris Tremlett (1-40), Tim Bresnan (2-47) and Jimmy Anderson (0-34) delivered some prancing stuff in helpful conditions, while Graeme Swann (1-6) chimed in to deceive Khawaja on the sweep.

Hughes (31) had shown some promising touch but will look upon the innings as another failure - he has been unable to reach 50 in five innings for the series.

Tremlett gained some appreciable lift and seam movement early on, sending a handful of deliveries whizzing over Watson's stumps.

Runs were cuffed by Hughes through point and cover, and the 50 stand was raised.

Lunch was called when Hughes dropped his guard and snicked Tremlett, but the break served to offer Khawaja the chance for a dramatic entrance.

His first impressions could not have been more striking, pushing two through midwicket first ball then firing a regal pull shot off his second to send his home crowd of 43,561 into raptures.

It is no exaggeration to say that Khawaja's first few runs offered as much promise as those of any new Australian batsman of the past decade.

Watson left the ball well but again should have been capable of going on to better things when he pushed at Bresnan and edged to slip.

Clarke fared little better with the captaincy than he had without it, skewing a cut shot into the gully to conclude a sketchy stay.

Having prospered against pace, Khawaja was undone by spin, miscuing to square leg.

He would have been doubly frustrated when he was soon joined by Hussey - the rain returned before another ball could be bowled.

"You never want to get out especially the last ball of the day as it turned out to be, so it's unfortunate, I would've loved to be not out overnight but that's cricket," Khawaja said.

"I had a ball out there, I was having so much fun while I was out there, I just wanted to stay out there as long as I could, I didn't want to come off.

"It was a good start and it got all of the anxiousness out of my system."