The Ashes: Usman Khawaja closes on century as Australia counter-attack at Edgbaston
oeen Ali took his first Test wicket in almost two years as Usman Khawaja led an Australian counter-attack on the second afternoon at Edgbaston.
Moeen, summoned out of retirement to fill the void left by Jack Leach’s injury, was targeted by Khawaja and Travis Head after lunch but Ben Stokes’s persistence eventually paid dividends as Head was caught off the spinner moments after reaching a swift half-century.
On his home ground, Moeen ought to have had another soon after, only for Jonny Bairstow to miss the chance to stump Cameron Green on nought.
Australia had resumed after lunch on 78 for three, following a morning that very much belonged to the home side, but kicked on to 188 for four by tea, with Khawaja unbeaten on 84, already his highest Test score in England.
Moeen Ali celebrates dismissing Travis Head
/ Getty ImagesEarlier, Stuart Broad had Edgbaston in raptures with two wickets in two balls, before Stokes claimed the huge scalp of Steve Smith as England made early inroads into Australia’s top order.
Broad continued his dominance over David Warner by dismissing the opener for nine in their first tussle of the series and then had Marnus Labuschagne, the world’s No1 ranked Test batter, brilliantly caught behind by Jonny Bairstow first ball.
Stokes, whose fitness to bowl had been a major question coming into the series, then had Smith pinned lbw for 16 shortly before lunch.
England had surprised the tourists with an early declaration on the first evening, Stokes calling his side in at 393-for-eight in the hope of making an early breakthrough.
Stuart Broad sends Marnus Labuschagne packing
/ Getty ImagesKhawaja and Warner survived four overs to resume on Saturday morning on 14 without loss, but had added only 15 runs to the score before the latter inside-edged onto his own stumps slashing at Broad’s wide delivery.
The Nottinghamshire seamer claimed Warner’s wicket for the 15th time in Tests, seven of those dismissals having come in just ten innings in the last Ashes played in England four years ago.
The drama built as Broad urged the Birmingham crowd for more from the top of his mark, his next delivery delayed by a policeman wandering across the sight screen behind the bowler’s arm.
Ben Stokes celebrates after taking the wicket of Steve Smith
/ Action Images via ReutersSteve Smith takes a walk
/ AFP via Getty ImagesWhen it came, the ground erupted, an outswinger finding Labuschagne’s edge and just carrying to a diving Bairstow for the first golden duck of the Australian’s Test career.
Broad launched the hat-trick ball down the leg side with slips in place both sides of the new batter, Smith, but Stokes continued to tinker with his field and bowling options throughout the morning in complete contrast with Pat Cummins’ conservative approach on day one.
The England captain used seven bowlers before lunch, including, remarkably, the medium pace of Harry Brook for an over at first-change,eventually taking the ball himself.
Stokes had not bowled at all in the summer’s first Test against Ireland and only for two overs in the loss to New Zealand in Wellington earlier in the year, having been plagued by a long-standing knee problem. In just his second over here, however, he trapped Smith, the leading run-scorer in the 2019 series unsuccessful with his review.
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