Usman Khawaja and David Warner combine to achieve what no Australian opening pair has been able to pull off in eight years on English soil. The 61-run stand in the run chase at Edgbaston, Birmingham is the first fifty-plus stand by an Australian opening pair on England soil in the Ashes.
The previous fifty-run stand
The previous fifty-plus opening partnership for Australia in England came on August 20, 2015. Chris Rogers and Warner shared a 110-run partnership. Rogers scored 43 runs whereas Warner went on to score 85 runs. Australia won the Test by an innings and 46 runs at Kennington Oval, London.
Edgbaston Test poised nicely
On Day 4 of Edgbaston Test, Warner scored 36 runs from 57 balls including four fours. He got dismissed caught behind off Ollie Robinson’s bowling in the 18th over of the innings. Khawaja remained unbeaten for 34 from 81 balls as Australia ended the Day's play with 107/3 on the board and 174 more to win the Test.
Khawaja goes big
Earlier, in the first innings, Warner's struggle against Stuart Broad continued as he got bowled after scoring nine runs from 27 deliveries. But Khawaja went on to score 141 runs from 321 deliveries to help Australia post 386 in the first innings and reduce England's lead to just seven runs. Khawaja's 141-run knock was laced with 14 fours and three sixes. On Day 5, Australian win pin their hopes on Khawaja to help them chase down 281.
Warner’s massive feat
During the 36-run knock, Warner also surpassed Virender Sehwag to become the fifth-highest run-scorer as opener in Test cricket. Warner has 8,208 runs from 105 Tests at an average of 45.60 including 25 centuries and 34 half-centuries. Sehwag has 8,207 runs from 99 Tests at an average of 50.04 including 22 centuries and 30 half-centuries. The list is topped by England's Alastair Cook (11,845 runs), India's Sunil Gavaskar (9,607 runs), South Africa's Graeme Smith (9,030 runs) and Australia's Matthew Hayden (8,625 runs).
MORE ON SPORTS TAK
